Testing!

Blogger's doing funny things with my posts. Testing, one, two, three! :)

More prayer requests!

But God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. -- Romans 1:18-23

Wow, ladies. We've got some hurts going on in our families! Here come two more people we need to uplift! Again, please pray the following for them: strength, peace, and joy that can only come from God; wisdom and discernment to deal with anything that they face; someone to PHYSICALLY walk through this with them, whether it be a spouse whose eyes need to be opened to their needs or a friend who cares; and clear direction from God about what to do and how to do it. Pray for them to be blessed in unexpected ways, that God would show each one that He's intimately concerned about her/him. PRAY FOR VICTORY!!!!

From Terri, who just had surgery on her back:

Sorry I have been so long in sending out an update.. Things have been very stressful.. My health is not very good today.. I woke up with my right arm swollen and terrible pain in my right shoulder.. I am hoping the weather has something to do with it. I am waiting to hear back from the doctor as he in surgery the whole day.. I can bearly move my right arm... I had to make a trip to my family doctor this week as my blood pressure drop really low.

Also this week I had a gas leak and found out I need a new AC unit for the house... So I am trying to deal with that along with my health issues... Of course Joe and I are not agreeing on the AC he thinks it should be fixed and I believe we should get a new one. There is along about 1200 difference between the new and repair bill..

Thank you for all your cards and prayers. I am starting to feel depressed and trying to the best to keep myself from going stir crazy...

And from Deana: Please pray that my husband, Scott, will find a job. Also, a girl in my mops group has a 5 yr old, 2 yr old and is about 7 months pregnant and found out today that her 2 year old has a brain tumor. Deana also has an unspoken personal prayer request.

Please, please lift them up!

Another request, and more encouragement for each of us!!!!

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The "worst" is never the worst.
Lamentations 3:25-30, The Message

Oh, dear friends! Thank you for praying for each other, and for continuing to be vulnerable in asking for petitions!!! I want to encourage you: if you need prayer, PLEASE let me know. There are people you don't even know about praying for you!!!! And when you get an answer, or feel like submitting a praise report, GO FOR IT!!!!! It's by your testimony that we will ALL be encouraged, uplifted, and spurred to keep praying!

Here's a new request, sent by dear Ginny:
Lori, may I add to that list of prayer requests? First for my daughter, Grace's, boyfriend. His job, his true calling, problems with his parents. I can't be more specific, but God knows! Also, my arthritic right knee is causing me tremendous pain. It's difficult to get comfortable. I made an appointment with the orthopedist for next Thursday; I will probably get another cortisone injection, which is painful. But I'm concerned that the deterioration is worse than a year ago; I've been offered a partial knee replacement, but I feel I'm too young, and I can't care for Phil if I'm laid up. I need wisdom, and freedom from the pain.

DEFINITELY, dear one. I know Becky has already prayed for you! We won't stop lifting you up until you get answers.

Now, then. Some things don't need captions at all. BE ENCOURAGED, and take a moment to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (If it's too small to really see well, click on the image.)

WOW! MORE prayer requests, and a report from Kathy!

I think we need to stay focused on praying for each other for a while, dear ones. There's SO MUCH hurt going on - and it's not been easy for me today in real life - so I KNOW we're doing what God wants here. :D

Please pray for my dear, sweet friend, Claudia. Claudia is the dance ministry director at our church; for about six months now, she's had a problem with her sinuses and ears being blocked. She's had some hearing return, but she can't sleep for long periods, so she's very tired. When I asked how her week has been, for the first time I can think of she told me, "HARD." Please pray the things I asked you to for everyone for both her and the next request, but also that God would release that pressure, and allow her to rest, and that this whole problem would be healed.

This one is from Becky - who prayed beautiful prayers for everyone in the comments sections!!!

I need to ask for prayer for my friend. Please pray for Michelle, whom in the past 6 months has been transformed from a hardworking leader and active mom/wife/teacher/church worker and friend to a weak and scared individual. Michelle went to the doctor because she simply didnt feel well and thought she might have a sinus infection. The next few weeks were a rocking whirlwind. She was diagnosed with Graves Disease and was rushed to surgery to remove her thyroid completely. She has lost more than 70% of her vision and her eyes are protruding so far now that the lids cant even cover the entire eye. She was also diagnosed with seveirely compacted sinus cavities and once again went in for emergency surgery. So now she is on the emotional hormoneal roller coaster that comes with Thyroid issues. She is nearly blind and is having extreme issues with phobias and and anxiety. She rarely leaves her home any more. Is having a hard time with her faith. Her marriage has become just a matter of business as her husband is purplexed with the stress of money issues that seem to keep piling on. Her children are struggling as though they have already lost their mom because she is no where near the person she once was. Pray for the entire family.

Oh, sweet friends, please pray. Such difficult things we're ALL facing!!! You know, I find it SO true that our burden seems heavy until we see the next person's. God is SO good! His mercies are new EVERY morning. I don't care WHAT you're facing; God is bigger than it is! I love the "bumper sticker saying" that says DON'T TELL GOD HOW BIG YOUR PROBLEM IS. TELL YOUR PROBLEM HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS! Claim that for these requested people, dear friend; maybe they're not able to claim it for themselves right now. Pray for FAITH.

And now for a wonderful report from Kathy! :D

Mom had her surgery today. She did well. The doctor said it was not as difficult as he thought it might be. He removed a small portion of the stomach where the tumor was attached. We did not know he would be doing this but he said she wouldn't miss it. :) He also said that he would be suprised if there was any cancer as it did not look like it would be there. Praise God!!!!! She was in quite a lot of pain at first because the pump was not working correctly. They finally got the doctor up and he got it working. Mom was getting a little testy and was just about to tell them off. We knew she must be feeling pretty bad as she usally is so quiet. She's much better now!!!!! Continue your prayers. She will be in the hospital 3-5 days. The doctor says she will feel pretty lousy for a few weeks.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!! Keep praying! Keep sending me your requests! AND how God is answering!!!! He is FAITHFUL - let's not hesitate to remind one another!!!

I love you all. Thank you so much for lifting each other up!!!

Requests that came in last night!

This is from Hootie:
"Lori, I have read these requests and will add them to my prayer journal. Will u please add my parents to the list. God knows the need in their life and I pray God shows them what they need to do and they will listen. I need prayer for strengh. Thank u!!"

Now, for Shirl:
After all the weeks of my hobbling around --it has been determined that a hip replacement would help me-----only thing now is after visit to my Dr. yesterday--he was not happy with the ekg--so I have to waite till Thurs. (11th) to have stress test to see if my heart is up to the surgery-------Hope I can pass that test--and get-her-done---so I will be able to get back to work at Encore-----Don't really know How you have managed without me--LOL--------Thanks for all the good thoughts you have sent my way---Love Ya all----Shirl

Calling all prayer warriors!

Please read the new additions to the post if you read it before 10:56 p.m. Central Time 06/09! :)

Hello, dear friend. I'm so glad you stopped by again; there's another big post brewing in my spirit, but today's is MOST important.

There are SO MANY of you, my friends, who need prayer right now. Since I consider us all sisters in Christ, I'm calling on each person who reads this to pray for the following people. PLEASE. We need to make some spiritual warfare on behalf of each other.

Pray for Kathy's mom: "This is an email that my sister has sent out concerning my mom. I would also like to include you in this circle of prayer. For most of you this is the first time you have been made aware of the situation. I guess I take after my Dad’s mother in that if you don’t talk about something it goes away. But getting this email has been my “slap in the face”. It is real and it is serious. I do know and believe in the power of prayer. Mom’s mother was a true prayer warrior and anytime there was a concern she called on God to take over. Her faith was always strong and her belief never wavered. I do believe that as God watched over the family of Abraham he has also watched over the family of E.B. Swinford. Not that we haven’t had our trials but we know that God is with us each step of the way." >Keep mom in your prayers (and me too)!!! Kathy

Cousins: Please keep Mom, Freida in your prayers, she is going to have surgery next Wednesday, 6-10-09 to remove the tumor in her stomach, the doctor told her today the biopsy came back no cancer, but he is not promising there is no cancer, he said sometimes it won't show in the biopsy. He said the surgery is going to be difficult due to the location of the tumor. Mom is already very weak physically due to her weight loss, so we are of course concerned about the difficulty of this"

A sister in Christ's dad: Health problems that can be serious, but I can't go into detail. Please pray for this sister, too; it's so difficult dealing with something like this! (Names and specific details withheld on request.)

Kenn: OK, so he's not a sister, but it sure affects ME. :D His asthma is REALLY bad right now; he's not able to sleep, because of having to be vertical or he can't breathe.

Ginny: Fibromyalgia pain is in a high-level flare right now. Her husband has also bee fighting an incurable cancer for what seems like a very long time, and the drain on their finances and hope takes its toll.

Becky: They've placed their house on the market; money is quickly draining away, and they're really feeling the spectre of something awful.

Kimmie: She's had a LOT of major life changes in the past year, and is still trying to adjust to everything.

Rhonda: She and the kids are buying a house and moving to another small Texas town. She has a promising new job, but it's a lot of responsibility, and please pray for her children, that they'll be able to heal from the way their dad treats them, and grow up to be loving adults who don't carry his cycle of neglect forward.

Jan: I just found out that her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Looking at the specific requests, it seems that our parents are really under attack right now!

(I know I'm forgetting someone; if you want us to pray for you, please leave a comment!!!!)

Please pray the following for our dear friends: strength, peace, and joy that can only come from God; wisdom and discernment to deal with anything that they face; someone to PHYSICALLY walk through this with them, whether it be a spouse whose eyes need to be opened to their needs or a friend who cares; and clear direction from God about what to do and how to do it. Pray for them to be blessed in unexpected ways, that God would show each one that He's intimately concerned about her/him. PRAY FOR VICTORY!!!!!

I would ask that you uplift me, too, as I share with you. Also, that God would see fit to loosen our finances as only He can! Most days, I have no trouble counting my blessings. There are some moments, however...!! I KNOW you know, too! :)

Now, everyone, as God answers these prayers, PLEASE share with me or leave a comment so we can all read. We need to be able to look back and see His hand moving in our lives!

THANK YOU. I can't WAIT to see how God's going to move!

A friend - thank you, Ms. Mary! :) - sent this to me today. It may help someone else, too, to hang on when the bottom seems to be falling out.

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE!!!!

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky.... He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story:
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that
summons the Grace of God.

P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today.

Musings on a year....

Good evening, dear friend. It's been a long day; a good one, for the most part, but I've spent part of the day thinking back on things.

I read through my 10th Anniversary Scrapbook, which was the best trip I've been on in my entire life. We went back to Oregon and renewed our vows on our favorite beach, with close friends and family members from the area. It was a glorious, wonderful, awesome, fantastic (I can't think of any more superlatives!) trip. And I miss the ocean.

A year ago yesterday was our first Sunday after the fiasco at our old church. So this coming Sunday will mark our first Sunday at our NEW church. I still miss some of my friends, and the closeness of the family I thought I had there. But OH! I wouldn't trade that for the wonderful place God has put us!

A year later, we're still learning names, learning songs, learning the ways of the Body in this particular building. But we see GOD there! And we're learning where we fit, and feeling His flow.

Life. Such a series of good and bad, happy and sad - yet our good God uses them ALL for His glory - and for His purpose in our lives. For our good.

God is good, ALL the time. Selah!