celebrate the Sabbath...going away to a solitary place...

When Jesus was tired and the crowds and the 'business of His Father' seemed to become a bit overwhelming...He sought time out with the Father.

He took time to pray.

And to be refreshed in body and spirit...

with a little Sabbath.

"...He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place..."

~Matthew 14:13

please pray for Elijah's family...

Two weeks ago, I wrote my Saturday post about a little boy named Elijah who has cancer, and I asked for you to pray for him. I do appreciate those prayers that were sent up to the Father on his behalf. Elijah left his earthly home and went to be with the Lord today. I'm sure he's hanging out with Jesus and with the angels and is probably wearing the same great big smile on his face as in the photo above.

And, though his parents are secure in the knowledge that Elijah is in heaven and no longer in pain nor suffering, their hearts are broken with the loss of their little boy. I would appreciate it if you would pray for them and for his brother, Gabriel... that God would give them peace beyond their understanding and comfort for their broken hearts.

It's never easy when a child dies, and it doesn't make sense to us. But our Father does promise He will be with us in these dark times and will walk through them with us........

My friend (who was good friends with Elijah's mom and dad) sent the following today in memory of little Elijah...

In an instant of time, you arrived
And just as quickly you have now departed.
We can’t make sense of it, nor understand,
the immense sadness, as our newest friend.
Your smile so bright, your eyes aglow…

E- Every moment was a blessing to have with you
L- Life is precious, and there is joy in knowing yours continues
I- Into peace, you have begun…
J- Jesus holds you now in the best place you’ll ever know
A- Always in our hearts
H- How wonderful it will be to see you again…

Thank you for your prayers.

celebrate the Sabbath... in Prayer..

O God,

Early in the morning do I cry unto Thee.

Help me to pray,

And to think only of Thee.

I cannot pray alone.

In me there is darkness,

but with Thee there is light.

I am lonely, but Thou leavest me not.

I am restless, but with Thee there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with Thee there is patience;

Thy ways are past understanding, but

Thou knowest the way for me.

O heavenly Father,

I praise and thank Thee

For the peace of the night.

I praise and thank Thee for this new day.

I praise and thank Thee for all thy goodness

and faithfulness throughout my life.

Thou hast granted me many blessings:

Now let me accept tribulation

from Thy hand...

Thou makest all things work together for good

for Thy children.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

please pray for Elijah...

Don't let that happy little smiling face fool you... this is a very serious Saturday post.

This little boy is Elijah. He is six years old and has been diagnosed with cancer--an inoperable brain tumor. Elijah has been through chemotherapy and radiation, and he is not doing well. During the period of radiation treatment, his tumor grew to almost three times its original size. The doctors have stopped radiation and have basically said that he will not survive. His parents, Rick and Melanie, have not given up hope and are praying over him.

There is an institute in Houston, TX, where they are trying to get him into a clinical trial. The treatment is going to cost about $150,000, and it is not covered by insurance. His parents have about $60,000 to get him there and get the treatment started but are desperately trying to raise the additional $90,000.

This family are direct friends of dear friends of mine and are asking for as many people as possible to pray for Elijah-- and also for his mom and dad and brother, Gabriel (8). They need a miracle and would love for others to pray as well.

Though I don't normally do this kind of post, this is all God's work, and I wanted to share this urgent need with you. I've been posting much lately about miracles, and this is one of those big ones... and, we know that NOTHING is impossible for God! Please pray for Elijah and his family. If you would like more information about Elijah, to see more photos of him, or if you have a desire to donate in any way toward his treatment, please visit the site set up by his family. (every $1 adds up... and think "loaves and fishes"! God is in the business of multiplication!)

Our dear heavenly Father, we thank You for this precious life! We pray You would give him and his family a miracle-- that You would heal his little body! We ask for finances for whatever treatment may be available, for wisdom of doctors, for peace and comfort for his family, and for all the glory to go to You for this miraculous provision! Thank You, Jesus, that You love Elijah! Thank You for miracles!

celebrate the Sabbath...

O Gracious and Holy Father

~Benedict of Nursia

O gracious and holy Father,

give us wisdom to perceive Thee,

intelligence to understand Thee,

diligence to seek Thee,

patience to wait for Thee,

eyes to behold Thee,

a heart to meditate upon Thee,

and a life to proclaim Thee;

through the power of the Spirit

of Jesus Christ our Lord.

thank You, God, for answered prayers... and baby smiles!

A great big THANK YOU, GOD! for Isabella's happy smile!!

And a great big THANK YOU to you who were/are praying for her... She is doing miraculously better, and I thought I would give you a quick update from her parents:

March 9: Out of ICU!
"Thank you, thank you for all your prayers. Isabella has shown marked improvement over the last 24 hours, and this afternoon was transferred out of ICU and into a regular pediatric unit. Her body seems to be responding to the antibiotics, her fever is down, her vital signs are fairly stable, and she even smiled and played a bit this morning. We are so grateful to you for your prayers, and to God for hearing and responding. "

March 10, 2009: All Better!!
"Well, it is quite a miracle, but little Isabella is suddenly very well. The power of prayer is amazing! We were given a private room at the hospital yesterday, and last night she slept peacefully with her head on my (Daddy's) forearm.I snapped this picture (top photo above) when she woke up this morning - the first time she has smiled in two weeks. They tell us she may be able to come home tomorrow if the can switch the intravenous meds to oral. Welcome back, Bellaboo!! "

please pray for Isabella...

This is Isabella. She is the daughter of friends of mine, and they have asked for your prayers. She is 7 1/2 months old, lives in Brazil, and is in extremely critical condition in the hospital. You can read about her at the blog her parents have set up - Isabella.

She was adopted in July of 2008 by my friends, and she has been in and out of the hospital many times during those months. She was born prematurely, and she suffers from problems relating to her lungs not being fully formed at birth.

She is once again in a battle for her little life, and we would greatly appreciate your prayers. As of last night, she was in an induced coma and on a ventilator to try to allow her lungs to rest and heal. She is not responding to treatment and is desperately in need of a touch from the Great Physician.

As we can only imagine, this has been a very difficult time for her parents and big brother as well... please pray for them and for Isabella... for healing, for peace, for rest... for the amazing presence of our loving Father right there with them in the hospital...and for a miracle.

** update 3/6/09 Fri a.m. --thank you for your prayers! Isabella is showing a bit of improvement, has been taking off the respirator, and is breathing on her own.

celebrate the Sabbath...delighting in answered prayer

He will call upon me, and I will answer him...

~Psalm 91:15

"I think we sometimes discourage ourselves by a misconception of the exact meaning of the expression, "answer," taking it to mean only grant. Now, an answer is not necessarily an acquiescence. It may be a refusal, an explanation, a promise, a conditional grant. It is, in fact, simply attention to our request expressed. In this sense, before we call He will answer, and while we are yet speaking He will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)" ~Mary B. M. Duncan, as quoted in Spurgeon's The Treasury of David

What prayer of yours has God 'answered' today... in the past week, or month, or year? Let's celebrate that God does hear and answer our cries.

"be careful what you pray for..."

How many times have you heard that said? "Be careful what you pray for!" A warning that God may just give you what you ask for...but that it might not look like the package your mind had it wrapped in. I think I've heard this little comment made most frequently when people mention praying for patience or other God-character traits.

And, really, how do we get actually acquire those types of things for which we pray? Usually the best way for God to give us 'good character' traits is by giving us on-the-job-training!--by putting us in a situation (or many, if we don't learn well the first or second or third time!) requiring the practice or exercise of that very character trait. And, though God COULD just hand us a bucket-full of patience, He usually helps us to DEVELOP it instead. Romans 5:3-4 shows us the progression of developing good character: "...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." As a result, I've many times heard people say, "Oh, don't pray for patience!! You might just get what you're praying for!"

Well, today I heard that phrase go through my head-- "be careful what you pray for!" because I have recently been praying for something. And today, I think God gave me a bit of what I was praying for. It was then the phrase went through my head. I was saying it to myself somewhat tongue-in-cheek because I really DO want that thing for which I have been praying, but... I didn't really think about what it could mean. I didn't REALLY think about what it would FEEL like to have God answer that prayer...

Because what I've been praying is... that God would break my heart with the things that break His.

I pause as I write it...because of the gravity of what I am asking...and because, though I am not sure what that will look like, I really do mean it. I want God to show me what it is that He would have me be broken-hearted over...what He would have me be passionate about. For out of that heart-brokenness we are moved to passionate caring and action.

I don't want to try to drum up feeling for something. I don't want it to be about me. I cannot, of myself, stir up my cold heart of stone into a caring, loving, compassionate heart. I need God to turn my heart of stone into a heart of flesh. I want Him to show me where it is He wants me to care most deeply, to stir my heart into passion...and out of that deep, heart-wrenching caring to be used by Him...to serve Him...to use my hands and feet and time to serve. To serve Him in that place of His broken-heartedness. In the area where He has shown me His heart of love.

And last night and again today, I had a taste of it. Of the broken-heartedness of God over a situation. And it filled me with an unexpected and inexplicable sadness and made me cry. For a long time. In fact, I cried off and on throughout most of the rest of today--whenever I let my mind go back to the situation, to think about it. It wasn't something I ever would have cried or gotten emotional about previously, but today, it made me so very sad. I think God has begun to answer my prayer....and I shall continue to pray.

“The function of prayer is not to influence God,

but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”

~Soren Kierkegaard

in pursuit of peace...

A bit of true confession today... I'm not feeling very positive or peaceful this day. And so, rather than any of my own 'words of wisdom' or pointless random thoughts, I shall post from God's Word intead...for He is Wisdom itself. And Truth. And Peace. And when we look at our world from His perspective, it just seems so different...

(further away?

smaller, perhaps, in the greater scheme of things?

more orderly?)

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable

—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—

think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received

or heard from me, or seen in me

—put it into practice.

And the God of peace will be with you."

~ Philippians 4:4-9

What must I do in this pursuit of peace?

• Rejoice! in all things, rejoice!
• Be gentle.
• Know and remember that God is near!
• Do not be anxious.
• Pray! Talk to God about everything.
• Think on the things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
• Put all these things into practice!

And, in return, the peace of God--peace beyond my limited capacity for understanding!--will be with me. This is my task for today.

tomorrow's big day in the USA...

That's right. Tomorrow is a big day here in the USA. Election day. It is the day when we ALL need to exercise our hard-earned right to vote.

It is hard-earned because, throughout the history of our nation, thousands of men and woman have died to protect this right. To honor them, we citizens of the U.S. need to vote.

The Presidential election is also an extremely important one this year, as there are very crucial issues at stake. (and also on the state level for Californians) We need to seek to know and follow TRUTH as we determine for whom/what we vote, and we need to approach our decisions with much prayer for wisdom and for God's mercy. In this way, to honor God and His place in our lives, we need to vote.

If you are a U.S. citizen,

please take the time to vote tomorrow.

* * * * *

If you are a follower of Christ,

please take the time to pray before you vote tomorrow.

"May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community (the United States) to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd."
Numbers 27:16-17

(thanks, Debra, for that verse!)

• for freedom of religion (128)
• for freedom to worship (127)
• for freedom of speech (126)
• for the privilege of voting (125)
• for the brave men and women who have fought for our privileges (124)
• for a country based on Godly principles (123)
• for the pursuit of TRUTH (122)
• for a Father Who cares about all these details of our daily lives! (121)