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.)

Find the delights!

I don't know about you, but this has been a TOUGH week - and the struggle isn't done yet. I'm still dealing with banking issues, and it's NOT a pretty fight. :( I have to get ready to go fight AGAIN. But I KNOW Who has the ultimate victory - it's the only thing I can cling to when I feel like giving up. God is GOOD. His love endures FOREVER!!! This battle has grown from a speed bump to a small mountain, steep at the summit, but He's there. :)

I'm looking for the abundance He has given us - and one thing around HERE, is produce. :) We've got CUCUMBERS like you wouldn't believe, and tomatoes! It's been an incredible growing year - we've pickled like crazy, eaten fresh foods, and blessed others. Isn't that what we're called to do with the abundance God gives us?? :)

Count your blessings, dear friends!!!! It does help - He has NEVER left you alone. He's ALWAYS there!

Please Pray!

My mom just called me; she and Dad are going to the hospital. She's been having trouble breathing this week, and thought it was due to perhaps catching the pneumonia she had earlier this year - thoguht for a while that the z-pac she was taking was helping, but cannot catch her breath today.
Thank you!!!!!!

Wow, am I TIRED....

This has been a LONG road! I'm enjoying the last evening free THIS week, and next week we only have TWO nights - we have FOUR SHOWS next weekend. PHEW. But it's been a great experience - and we got a GREAT review from a local newspaper, so I've been beaming all afternoon. :)

I worked hard yesterday, and today it's all I can do to think straight - so I'm trying not to feel guilty for not doing too much! :)

What are YOU girls up to? I know Becky's on vacation with her family, and won't be back for a few days - lucky thing. :)

So, what's God saying to you lately? I have been simply AMAZED this year at how He's brought the world back to life almost overnight! The pear trees blossomed BEFORE the forsythia this year - that's unheard of! The underbrush is getting green quickly, as are the littler trees - we have one little crabapple tree that's leafing, and starting to bloom rather prettily! His handiwork never ceases to amaze me.

What about you? What's going on in your world? Are you being blessed? Or are you walking through a trial right now? May I walk with you? I'd love to pray for you.... Please, share. I care, and it's an honor for me to lift you to the Throne!

Good morning!

No words necessary today. GOD IS GOOD! (Click on the image to make it larger. :))

FIND YOUR BLESSINGS!!!

They are STILL here! :D

Hi, everyone. My family is STILL here. Things have been detoured in Georgia for the past few days, so they're here. It's a houseful, and I think they're tired of being bored. :) It's difficult when everyone doesn't have their own space - but I think it's gone well. God is good. :)

We had a difficult time at Sunday school yesterday; the lesson was on Esau again. It was the stuff going on outside of the lesson that was difficult. I'll write more when I get a chance, and get my own feelings and thoughts sorted out. I ask you to pray for Kenn and for me. I promise to sort of explain later. :)

OK, I'm off. I have a class to go teach tonight, and another workshop tomorrow night. :) Plus show stuff to tend to - life is CERTAINLY busy around here right now. :)

THANK YOU for being faithful! I appreciate you, my friend, and I'm grateful that I can ask you to pray for us. May you be blessed beyond measure today - and may you pass that blessing on!!

Author Unknown....

I received this from another friend online, and wanted to share it. If nothing else, I hope it starts you thinking: do you agree? Why or Why Not? :) (She didn't know who authored this; if you know, please let me know so I can acredit him/her!)

5 Reasons God Permits Problems

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you--depending on how YOU respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here are five reasons God may have permitted the problems for
experience in your life:

1. God permits problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God allowing this situation to get your attention? 'Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.' Proverbs 20:30

2. God permits problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags ... If you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God tested your faith by alowing a problem or two into your life? What do problems reveal about you? 'When you have many kinds of troubles, you should b full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.' James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something...health, money, a relationship...by losing it. 'It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws.' Psalms 119:71-72

4. God permits problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem-but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good'... Genesis 50:20

5. God permits problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. 'We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.' Romans 5:3-4

** Here's the point: God is at work in your life-even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.