Happy New Year

May God bless you with good health, joy, peace and prosperity in the new year. All good gifts come from Him.
Carolyn

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season

Merry CHRISTmas.
I want to share this beautiful Arizona sunset with you.
This is a picture taken in front of our church last week. Red lights have been added to the cross since then, which makes it even more beautiful.

May your heart be filled with all the peace and beauty of Jesus this CHRISTmas season. Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season.


Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh.
JESUS rides on the wind
and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year.
JESUS is an ever-present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies.
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited.
JESUS stands at your door and knocks
and then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa.
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap.
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name. All he can say is
"Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"

JESUS knew our name before we did.
Not only does He know our name,
He knows our address too.
He knows our history and future
and He even knows how many hairs are on
our heads.
JESUS has a heart full of love.
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says, "You better not cry."
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me
for I care for you.”

Santa's little helpers make toys.
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts,
repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle, but
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree,
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.
We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas.

”Jesus is still the reason for the season”.

Permission to use given by Misty
at ALIGHTHOUSE.com

May His love and presence fill you to overflowing and
bring you a most Joyous CHRISTmas.
Carolyn

Christmas With a Capital C

"You shall find the babe wrapped in swadding clothes, lying in a manger." Luke 2:12

CHRISTmas is about the birth of Christ!

May the joy of that first CHRISTmas fill your hearts with happiness.
Carolyn

"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." Luke 15:20

Moms, Jesus wants our prodigals to come home even more than we do. Don't ever give up praying that the Holy Spirit will break the bondage of Satan and change their hearts.

If you are a prodigal reading this post, I want you to know that Jesus loves you more than you can believe. He is as close as a prayer and will run to you as soon as you turn, coming back to Him.

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Thankful For Cyber Friends

The yellow rose has always been my favorite. It is especially pretty with touches of peach. I would give everyone of you a rose if I could.

So many of you have blessed me with your writings of inspiration. I am especially thankful to Sharon for starting the AG Blogs Network. I am sure that it takes a lot of time to manage. May God bless her richly for her willingness to minister.

The Blogs Network has connected so many of us, without it we would have never met. It is doubtful that we will ever meet in person this side of Heaven, but I can tell by your spirits that we are sisters in Christ.

I have also met and been blessed by several of you who are not on the AG Blogs, but we have found each other and connected through other means.

I want to thank my followers, people who read my posts regularly, for linking to my site. Every time I get an e-mail or comment from you, I am humbled. I am in awe of how the Holy Spirit brings us together.

I believe the purpose of connecting us is so that we can pray together and encourage each other. Sometimes we may feel like we are the only one praying for our sons and daughters, so it’s good to know that someone else cares. Praying and believing together, we will see God work miracles in our families!

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1:4

“I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” Isaiah 44:3

I will be delighted to have you follow my blog if you are not already. It is real easy. Just click on “Follow this blog”. It will take you to a pop-up and you click “follow”.
Thank you.

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Rejoice in the Lord!

This is the day which the Lord has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 118:24,28-29

We have so much to be thankful for, yet we take so much of it for granted. Especially as we approach Thanksgiving we need to give praise to our Heavenly Father. But each and every day we should rejoice and be glad for the very breath that God gives to us.

This past year may not have been your best year. You may have lost a loved one or lost possessions. You may have lost faith in people due to disappointments. The elections may have been a big letdown for you. But has our God changed? Is He still in control of the earth and the heavens and each of our lives? Yes of course, He is!

Give Him praise for who He is. Give Him praise for the hope He gives and for the faith he gives you. As you praise Him, He will fill you with joy!

Please listen to this video “I Never Lost My Praise” and be blessed.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.
Carolyn

Hands

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth
about $33 million.
It depends whose hands it's in.












A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Roger Clemens' hands is worth
$475 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.













A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Andre Agassi's hands is
worth millions.
It depends whose hands it's in.









A rod in my hands will keep away an angry dog.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends whose hands it's in.



















A slingshot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A slingshot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in.









Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple
of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in Jesus' hands will
feed thousands.
It depends whose hands it's in.












Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will
Produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it's in.









As you see now, it depends on whose hands it's in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears,
your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because...
It depends whose hands it's in.

We can trust God’s Hands because…
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,

nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Isaiah 59:1

We can say with confidence as David said in Psalm 31:14,15…
“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”

My times (and trust) are in Your hand.”

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

God Bless Our Troops!

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day and we honor all of the men and women who have served in our country to protect our freedom. May God bless all of you! We pay special tribute to those who have given their lives in fighting for us and to their families who have suffered their loss. Thank you!

Let us not forget our troops who are fighting for us now, many of them are in very dangerous situations. I have a grandson who is fighting in Afghanistan now. This is his third war-zone tour, serving in Iraq two times. God has protected him and, I believe, will continue to give him coverage. I thank God everyday for his mercies! We pray for all of our troops and military leaders. God bless them all!

God Bless Our Troops

My prayers are said each and every night
For all those who are out of sight.
They, I am sure, are lonely and scared
Hoping that by morning their life has been spared.

We all must not guess whether right or wrong,
We must not judge the weak or the strong.
They are fighting for us, to be able to say
The things we feel, as we live each day.

It's a hardship for many, family and friends,
Tears of sorrow, many hearts to mend.
We can attack those that sent them there
Or we can stand together, make it easier to bear.

Our young heroes show they are proud,
But here we are, screaming far too loud,
’Get them out, bring them home, no good can be had
By staying there and fighting, for all that we HAVE.’

’It’s a waste of time, those enemies have shown
The endless days and nights of battle, fatalities have grown.’
Many of those who sit and openly condemn
The bravery and commitment of our women and men.

How can you not think of them, and what they do?
Do you ever wonder what they’re thinking, of me and you?
It's easy for you to sit there and judge
You're here comfortable and happy, not living in fear.

Your days come and go, you live happy and free
So why not get down on just one knee
Thank our troops, be proud of what they do
They give their lives, for me and you.

I pray each night that our LORD holds them near
To guide them, protect them, and take away their fear.
Let's never forget the sacrifice that is being made,
Please honor our troops, and let our THANKFULNESS never fade.

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS.... MAY GOD GUIDE YOU.

2006 Cathy (Cookie) Carletti

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Blessed by Blogging Friends

I received an award today from Jennifer. I am blessed and humbled. I read her site all the time and I’m always blessed by her words of inspiration. If you have not found her site, it is
“Though the Storms of Life” @ www.ordinarychristianwomansheart.blogspot.com
Check it out and you will be blessed. Thank you Jennifer!


Because I enjoy her site so much, I want to pass an award on to her in return.

I receive joy and much encouragement from many of the other blogs I read as well. May God richly bless all of you who are sharing His love.

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Dutch Sheets Prays God's Will for Elections

This morning I received the following in an e-mail:
A personal letter from Dutch Sheets. It is not from any of the ministries he is associated with. He would like for it to be shared with as many praying friends as possible.

Due to it's length, I've only included the last part of the letter.

"October 20, 2008

Dear Praying Friend,

...Please understand what I am saying: if we engage in this battle and do what I am asking—in mass—we will win; if we do not, we will lose. I, for one, don’t intend to allow the latter. I am in Washington, D.C. now (October 20-22) with Lou Engle and a team of prayer leaders from around the nation to war for this election.

Join us! Lose some sleep, miss some meals—pray! Pray like never before for these elections. And as you do, involve yourself not only in petitioning prayer but also in spiritual warfare. Use your God-given authority over the plans and strategies of satan’s kingdom. Bind all witchcraft that is working to control the outcome, including occultic powers that are suppressing truth. Release Christ’s Kingdom rule in every way the Holy Spirit leads you.

Don’t be deceived and don’t lose hope (if you have to, turn off the TV.) It is not too late to turn these elections. God is plenty powerful enough to do so. The real question is, will we rise to the level of prayer and spiritual warfare necessary to release that power? And remember, we don’t need a majority of Christians who are willing and able to do this—only a praying remnant. We can do it!

Here are some practical suggestions to consider:

1) Fast (a meal a day; a day a week; a Daniel fast; 3 days; 10 days; TV; etc.) and spend the time praying.

2) Agree in prayer with someone everyday for God’s will to be done.

3) Form/participate in prayer groups regularly. Churches could pray everyday.

4) Take time in every gathering to pray. (Take 15 minutes in every service to pray for the elections. Turn an entire service to harp and bowl style intercession—worship and prayer combined.)

5) Join 2 or more on a conference call and pray for 15, 20, or 30 minutes.

6) Pray on the way to work (and on the way home).

7) Pray before you go to sleep.

8) Pray before church services.

9) Ask God to give you His strategy—He will!

In His grip,
Dutch Sheets"

Friends, thank you for your prayers.
Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Dare to Vote Your Conscience!

This video was shared by Tara at "Destiny Driven" a few days ago. The message is so powerful and the music is so beautiful that it needs to continue to be shared, especially in the next 11 days as we are praying for this election.





Now on the lighter side:

UNITED STATES MAP - Short But Good!

A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like, so he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby, and said, “Go into the other room and see if you can put this together. This will show you our whole country today.”

After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. “Oh,” she said, “on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together.”

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

The Three Parts of Prayer

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matt. 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10

1. Asking
2. Seeking
3. Knocking

Asking:
Phil: 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

When we pray, we give God the vehicle to fulfill His promise.
Prayer is the muscle that moves the Hand of God.
The enemy is present when prayer is absent.
The enemy is absent when prayer is present.
When we care enough about the pain behind the human need, we will get desperate with God in prayer.

Seeking: Seek the Lord. Seek His presence.
Jeremiah 29:12-13 “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Prayer is so simple. It’s like quietly opening a door and slipping into the very presence of God. There is the stillness to listen to His voice, perhaps to petition or only to listen. It matters not. Just to be there. In His presence is prayer!

Knocking: Intercession – ceaseless prayer.
Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

Intercession means entreaty in favor of another, standing in the gap for others. Intercession time is love on our knees.

“Lord, make me a faithful intercessor for my children. Show me what’s on your heart for them that I might pray in harmony with your will for their lives.”

The purpose of this blog is to pray with others for the salvation of our families. However, we are to use these same principles of prayer in all of our requests.

We need to be in earnest prayer for our nation and the election next month!
Folks, it is vitally important that we are on our knees praying for God’s will to be done.

"If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Vote - Choose Life!

There seems to be much confusion in the media today with new stories breaking faster than can be researched. I know that all of us are concerned about what is happening with the economy and the elections. I hope that all of you are praying for God’s will.

I don’t know if your greatest concern is about the economy or security or the character of the man you will vote for, but we seem to have forgotten about another important issue, LIFE.

Please know what your candidate’s opinion and vote is on abortion! We need to know it on every person we vote for, from the city and state to the national.

Please do not be confused by the language of those who are Pro-Choice. They do not like to be called Pro-Abortion which is what many of us who are Pro-Life call them, so they are identifying themselves by other names. Names like Women’s Privacy Rights or Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) that sounds innocent enough, but the abortion rights are included in both of these. Please be aware of what you vote for and whom you endorse!

We cannot continue to be silent and allow the murder of so many babies!
These babies are real persons because God’s Word tells us that He knew each one of us before we were formed.

Psalm 139:13-16 refers to God's creation of unborn human life as follows:

"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."

Watch this beautiful video of children singing: “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”



Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

The Mother of the Prodigal Son

This poem is dedicated to all the mothers
who have wayward and lost children.
Don’t lose your faith in God who can
bring them back to the fold.

“Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
and He shall hear my voice.”
Psalm 55:17


Where is the mother of the prodigal son
on that day so long ago?
What were her thoughts and what were her

fears as she watched him go?

How many times in the dark of night
did the tears slide down her face?
Did she get out of bed and fall on her knees,
just to pray that her boy was safe?

How were the days when she did not know:
Was he alive? Was he warm? Was he well?
Who were his friends?

And where did he sleep?
Was there anyone there she could tell?

But, oh, on that day when she looked

down the road
as she had looked since her son went away,
Did love unspeakable flood her soul?
Did she cry? What did she say?

I think when the father had welcomed

their son
and the boy had greeted his brother,
That the servants made a path for him to

enter the door
and the waiting arms of his mother.

"For this my son was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found."

Luke 15:24

Blessings to you and your family,

Carolyn

I Wonder...

Questions to ponder
about the place the
Bible holds in our lives.



I wonder......

What would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it, if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of an emergency?

This is something to make you go, hmm...

Where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected, because Jesus already paid the bill.
And there are no dropped calls!

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Tears Are a Language God Understands

Tears Are a Language God Understands

Often you wonder why tears come into your eyes,
And burdens seem to be much more than you can bear.
But God is standing near. He sees your falling tears,
And tears are a language God understands.

God sees the tears of a brokenhearted soul.
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall.
God weeps along with man and He takes him by the hand.
Tears are a language God understands.

When grief has left you low it causes tears to flow,
And things have not turned out the way that you had planned.
But God won't forget you His promises are true.
And tears are a language that my God He understands.

God sees the tears of a brokenhearted soul.
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall.
God weeps along with man and He takes him by the hand.
Tears are a language God understands.

God weeps along with man and he takes him by the hand.
Tears are a language God understands.

(Composed by Gordon Jenson ©1971)

The Bible gives us proof that God understands all of our emotions, even our tears. He knows exactly what it is that you are facing today and He knows the solution! Trust Him!

God told Hezekiah after he had wept bitterly...
“I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears;
surely I will heal you.” (2 Kings 20:5)

David wrote about God… “You put my tears into Your bottle. When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back. This I know, because God is for me.”… “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.”
(Psalm 56:8,9; 126:5)

We are given this promise when Christ returns to dwell with us in the new heaven and new earth…
“And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have been passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Hope - not despair

Many people are feeling despair today because of the devastation made by Hurricane Ike that destroyed their homes and cities. My heart and prayers go out to all of those people who are affected by the storms. I can’t imagine how bad and hopeless they feel, because I am not there, but I am here watching it happen on my television. Watching a natural disaster as it happens, bringing destruction and loss of life does cause fear, even in those of us who are watching from afar.

You don’t need to have the TV on for very long to be drawn into a feeling of despair and depression. Long before the hurricane season started, the media was keeping us in a political storm encouraging the negative debates between the two parties about the candidates. Many would try to make us believe that everything about America is bad and there is no hope.

Some of the people I’ve talked with this week have storms going on in their personal lives. One friend told me that she can’t feel God’s presence. Her despair is so great that she can’t believe that He loves her.

I pray for her.

I’ve talked with many good Christian parents who feel despair as they pray for their unsaved family year after year and God doesn’t answer their prayers in the manner and time they think He should. But you know, if we surrender to our feelings of disappointment with God, we will then begin to doubt everything except our worries and our hopelessness. Before long we too will fall victim to despair.

What is despair? The dictionary defines it as a loss of confidence, an utter lose of hope. It is the sinking sensation of helplessness and inadequacy.

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

What is hope? Hope is defined as: Trust, reliance, expectation of fulfillment or success; to expect with desire.

The Bible tells us in Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

The Bible is our best resource for renewing our hope in Jesus Christ:

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

I John 5:14,15.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20,21.

Our hope is in Jesus Christ! Don’t ever give up! Keep praying!

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Mother's Elbows on My Bed

I was but a youth and thoughtless,
As all youths are apt to be.
Though I had a Christian mother
Who had taught me carefully.

There came a time when pleasure
Of the world came to allure,
And I no more sought the guidance
Of her love so good and pure.

Her tender admonitions fell
But lightly on my ear,
And for the gentle warnings
I felt an inward sneer.

How could I prove my manhood
Was I not firm of will?
No threat of future evil
Should all my pleasures kill.

But mother would not yield her boy
To Satan’s sinful sway,
And though I spurned her counsel
She knew a better way.

No more she tried to caution
Of ways she knew its pain,
And though I guessed her headache,
I could not know its pain.

She made my room an altar
A place of secret prayer,
And there she took her burden
And left it in His care.

And morning, noon and evening
By that humble bedside low,
She sought the aid of Him, Who
Understands a mother’s woe.

And I went my way unheeding,
Careless of the life I led,
Until one day I noticed
Prints of elbows on my bed.

Then I saw that she had been there
Praying for her wayward boy,
Who for love of worldly pleasure
Would her peace of mind destroy.

While I wrestled with my conscience,
Mother wrestled still in prayer,
Till that little room seemed hallowed,
Because so oft she met Him there.

With her God she held the fortress,
And though not a word she said,
My stubborn heart was broken
By those imprints on my bed.

Long the conflict raged within me,
Sin against my mother’s prayers.
Sin must yield – for Mother never
While she daily met Him there.

And her constant love and patience
Were like coals upon my head,
Together with the imprints
Of her elbows on my bed.

Mother-love and God-love
Is a combination rare,
And one that can’t be beaten
When sealed by earnest prayer.

And so at last the fight was won,
And I to Christ was led.
And mother’s prayers were answered
By her elbows on my bed.

--Unknown

"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy."

Psalm 126:5

Blessings to you and your family,

Carolyn

Answer to Our Prayer

Jesus’ words in Luke 15:7, 10:

“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”


It was early Monday morning, the day after Easter (2008), the phone rang and I heard my husband answer it in the next room. I heard him crying and laughing at the same time. Within minutes, he came into the bedroom handing me another phone so that I could listen in.

It was his daughter, Lori, who was telling him that she had given her heart to Jesus. Oh, what joy I felt! She was so excited and full of joy! She was laughing and crying at the same time too, and talking almost non-stop for more than an hour. There was no doubt that she had really fallen in love with Jesus.

Lori had been heavy on our hearts for some time. She was not a bad person, but she, like most people today, didn’t have room for Jesus in her life. She told me one time that she had put God on a shelf. A lot of people keep God there, thinking He will be handy when they need Him. But even in her greatest heartache and grief, it was some time before she realized that Jesus was as close as her prayer of surrender.

She thought her world had turned upside down when her husband died about fourteen months earlier. She went through the motions of carrying on her life, but inside she was dying.

I had gone through the same kind of grief when I was close to her age, so she did listen to me as I tried to console her. The message I tried to convey to her, over and over, was that she needed the Holy Spirit to help her take away the pain, that Jesus loved her and was waiting for her to come to Him. I told her that having the Holy Spirit in my life was the only way I had been able to survive.

But it seemed as though she was not listening. She later told us how deep the depression was and how very dark her life became. She said that she really felt like the devil was trying to kill her.

Oh, what a difference Jesus makes! During our conversation with her that early morning in March, we could hear the change in her voice. She had ‘done a 180’! She talked about the peace and the joy she felt. Her world was suddenly brighter, the sky bluer and the flowers prettier. She wanted to tell everyone about Jesus!

I asked Lori for permission to share how God answered our prayer for her. This is what she wrote back to me. In her own words:

“I am so blessed and want everyone to know it. God has saved my life and given me such a beautiful new one in the relationship I have with Him. I am not worthy of all the love and joy I feel everyday just knowing He is my Father who loves me unconditionally and wants nothing from me except my faithfulness to Him forever. Wow, what a "no brainer".

I am amazed and love the cleansing I feel each morning as I pray with my eyes closed then open them to feel tears just pour down my face. Not just a couple, but enough to wipe from the floor! To feel the Lord from every ounce of my being is incredible. I am tearing as I write this to you because I am so thankful for the peace He has restored in me and the life that has been opened up for me through His love.”

What a beautiful testimony! God is faithful and He does answer prayer! Continue to pray and praise God for His faithfulness. We will see all of our children come back to Him.

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

What Are You Praying For Your Child?

I dare say that each one of you began praying for your babies before they were born, praying that he or she would be healthy. Being healthy seemed to be more important at that time, even more than if the baby were a boy or girl.

Our prayers begin to change when the babies started walking, climbing, and running into the streets. “Oh God, protect my baby, keep him safe!”

As my boys started school I continued to pray for their safety and good health. But now I was also praying that they do well in school, like their teacher, make lots of friends and be happy.

It was always very important to me for them to be happy. My three oldest boys were close in age and I really wanted them to love each other, to never fight and to be happy. Well, they loved each other most of the time, but being boys they were very active and very competitive.

Their teenage years kept me on my knees much of the time, praying that their guardian angels would keep them safe as they played competitive sports and they started driving cars and farm machinery. My prayer included, “Please God, don’t let them get mixed up with the wrong crowd of kids who could get them in trouble or get them hooked on drugs and drinking!”

My oldest sons are in their 40’s now and I have prayed many prayers for them through the years for many different reasons. God is faithful and He always answers! But the most important prayer a parent can pray, I believe, is to pray for that child to know Jesus Christ and to accept Him as his Savior!

I want to share a prayer with you. It is a prayer I believe the Holy Spirit gave to me and I have been praying it for several months, for each one of my children and grandchildren. It can be prayed for all of your family, those who are unsaved as well as those who are saved.

“Lord Jesus, by your Spirit, cause my children to seek You, and open their hearts to see You.
Bless them with a face-to-face encounter with You.
Cause them to confess Jesus as their Savior.
Bless them with a hunger and thirst for Your Word.
Bless them with a heart and desire to know You. Amen”

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Jesus, No Other Name!

Jesus is the only way to Heaven!
Am I politically correct when I make that statement? No, I’m not.
But those are Jesus’ own words. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

Do I have the freedom to make such a statement?
Yes, I do! I do for now, anyway.

I am very concerned with the way our society has accepted all the nonsense about ‘PC’, which is gradually eroding our freedom of speech. It is a common belief today that any pathway you chose will lead you to your god; for us to tell you any different will be criticizing your god and that would not be politically correct!

I believe there are even Christians who are fearful to speak out against other religions, those who are not preaching the truth. They fear that, in turn, our faith would then be criticized also and that we would all lose our religious freedom.

Please wake up! Don’t let the devil lull us to sleep with apathy! People all around us, even some in our own families are lost and going to hell.

We have the right message! We know the right way to Heaven! Share it!

Listen and be blessed as Sandi Patty beautifully sings,

"No Other Name But Jesus"

click on: http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=a12f2c227ef2628933a3

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

The Power of Prayer

The most powerful position on earth is kneeling before the Lord of the universe!

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man (and woman) avails much.” James 5:16

While crossing the Atlantic on a ship many years ago, Bible teacher and author F. B. Meyer was asked to speak to the passengers. An agnostic listened to Meyer’s message about answered prayer and told a friend,
“I didn’t believe a word of it.”

Later that same day, the agnostic went to hear Meyer speak to another group of passengers. But before he went to the meeting, he put two oranges in his pocket. On his way, he passed an elderly woman who was fast asleep in her deck chair. Her arms were outstretched and her hands were wide open, so as a joke he put two oranges in her palms. After the meeting, he saw the woman happily eating one of the pieces of fruit.

“You seem to be enjoying that orange,” he remarked with a smile.
“Yes, sir,” she replied, “My Father is very good to me.”
“What do you mean?” pressed the agnostic.
She explained, “I have been seasick for days. I was asking God somehow to send me an orange. I fell asleep while I was praying. When I awoke, I found He had sent me not only one but two oranges!”
The agnostic was amazed by the unexpected confirmation of Meyer’s talk on answered prayer. Later, he put his trust in Christ. HGB - Our Daily Bread

I thought this was an amusing story when I read it, but it also reminded me of how much our Heavenly Father loves us and cares about even the smallest minute detail and concern in our lives. If He cares about what may seem trivial or unimportant to anyone other than our-self, how much more He cares about the salvation of our loved ones. After all, the whole reason He came to earth as one of us, was to die on the cross for our sins so that we would be reconciled with our Heavenly Father and have eternal life.

(2 Cor. 5:18-21)

He lovingly died for everyone so that none will perish and be lost.

(John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9)

There is power in prayer and God answers prayer!

Blessing to you and your family,

Carolyn

For His Glory

I have been very intense as I learned the process of writing a blog, wanting to make every detail right. My young grandchildren have their own blogs, but for most of us grandmas ‘blog’ is a foreign word, or has been until recently.

In the midst of all this busyness, I suddenly became very excited this past week as I realized the tool that the Holy Spirit has given me to do the ministry He has placed in my hands. Wow! The Internet can be used to spread the gospel and to encourage and bless others, all for God’s glory! In doing my research I have found so many other wonderful inspiring blogs that are written by Christian believers. Thank God for this opportunity.

The Holy Spirit birthed this ministry in my heart about two years ago and meeting with other moms to share our prayers in unity has blessed me so much. God has answered many of our prayers. We have learned to praise Him for every sign, even small ones, that show us He is moving in our loved ones’ lives. He has brought reconciliation to some families and even changed our hearts and attitudes at times, so that we can pray with forgiveness. Our faith is strong, believing that we will see our prayers answered.

If you are praying for a family member to be saved, and would like for me to pray with you, please leave your request as a comment. I would like to encourage you to also meet with other praying moms to pray. There is power in unity prayer!

Matthew 18:19-20 explains one key foundation for the effectiveness of group praying. Jesus said, “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it shall be done for them by my Father in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” What a promise!!

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Restoration

Do you know the song, "Enemy's Camp"?
We sing it at our church and it brings victory to our spirits every time. A few of the lines are:

"Well I went to the enemy's camp,
and I took back what he stole from me.
He's under my feet, Satan is under my feet."

I searched the net looking for the lyrics of this song and found a YouTube of people singing it during the Brownsville Revival. They sang it with total victory! It blessed me so much that I want to share it with you. You can click on it or you may need to copy and paste, placing it on one line.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jgye4hAhfM&feature=related

In recent months, I have become more and more angry at the devil when I am reminded of how he has lured our children away from the Christian faith as they became older.

Yes I know, they have made their own choice, a decision to not follow Christ. So one might argue, why do I lay the blame at the devil's feet? Because the devil's purpose is to steal, destroy and to kill.

I Peter 5:8 tells us "...your adversary, the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour."

I Timothy 3:7 and 6:9 warns us about the snare of the devil.

However, we are not to despair and give up hope for our kids' salvation. If Christ is in us, we have greater power than the devil.
Jesus tells us in Luke 10:19,
"I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
Moms, if you are a child of God, the devil is under your feet!

The Word teaches restoration and recovery or escape.
We read in 2 Timothy 2:26, "...That they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

The story of the prodigal son who returns home, in Luke 15, is a great story to inspire our faith telling us of the father who is faithful and forgiving. But notice for a moment in verses 17-18, "But when he came to himself (in other words, came to his senses)
he said, "...I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.'"

I want to encourage you as you pray for your kids. There is no sin so great that He cannot forgive. There is no pain so great that He cannot take away. There is no hurt so deep that He cannot heal. There is no bondage so strong that He cannot break.

I like to pray scriptures over my loved ones reminding God of His promises. Psalm 51:10-12 is one of the scriptures that I pray using my loved one's name for the word 'me'. Try it with your loved one's name.

"Create in me a new heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit."

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

Pray With Thanksgiving

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7

Most of us like verse 7 that talks about the peace which God gives to us that surpasses all of our understanding. A peace that is greater than anyone can explain with words, but feels so wonderful.

Verse 6 is a command which we must do before we can have His peace.
"Be anxious for nothing." Do not stress out and have an anxiety attack. Do not fear. Fear is not of God. In fact, fear is unbelief and a lack of trust in God's Word. "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Did you notice He said to pray with thanksgiving?

How can you pray with thanksgiving when your heart is broken and you are so worried?

Read Jonah 2:1-10: The result of Jonah's praise and thanksgiving was his safety and deliverance from the belly of the whale.

Read Acts 16:16-40: While Paul and Silas were in prison praying and singing hymns, an earthquake happened and their chains were loosed and the prison doors were opened.

When you are down or discouraged, the best remedy is always to offer praise to God. When our praise goes up, God's power comes down.

We were created to praise God. Luke 19:40 says that if we keep silent in our praise to Him, the rocks will cry out in praise. The Holy Spirit distills His presence where there is praise. It's like moisture in the atmosphere. It is in His sweet presence that our faith comes alive and we can believe Him to answer our prayers.

I believe as we are praying for our loved ones to be saved, we need to thank God for every good and positive thing we can think of about that person. It may be really hard if all you can see is the sin in his or her life. Our Heavenly Father sees that person with love and the purpose He has for his or her life. We need to ask the Lord to allow us to see them as He sees them and to let us feel His heart for them as we pray with thanksgiving.

I believe that Jesus will give you His peace and faith to believe that He is answering your prayers.

Blessings to you and your family,
Carolyn

What If God Had Voice Mail?

We have all learned to live with voice mail as a necessary part of modern life. Gone are the days when a real person greets you on the other end of a phone call. It seems as though whenever we try to "reach out and touch someone", we are greeted with a computerized voice.

But have you ever wondered, "What if God decided to install voice mail?" Imagine praying and hearing this, "Thank you for calling my Father's House. Please select one of the following options:
Press 1 for requests.
Press 2 for thanksgiving.
Press 3 for complaints.
Press 4 for all other inquiries."

What if God used the familiar excuse, "All the angels are helping other customers right now. Please stay on the line. Your call will be answered in the order it was received."

Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call on God in prayer?
"If you would like to speak to Gabriel,
press 1.
For Michael, press 2.
For a directory of other angels, press 3.
If you'd like to hear King David sing a Psalm while you're on hold, press 4.
For more grace, press 5.
To find out if a loved one has been assigned to Heaven, enter his or her social security number.
For reservations at My Father's House, press J-O-H-N and 3-1-6.
For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth and where Noah's Ark is, please wait until you arrive here."
"Our computers show that you have already called once today. Please hang up and try again tomorrow."
"The office is closed for the weekend. Please call again on Monday after 9:00 AM."

I'm glad this isn't true of our Heavenly Father. He is always there. "Call to Me, and I will answer you." Jeremiah 33:3

Thank God, you can't call Him too often! "Then you will call and the Lord will answer, you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am'." Isaiah 58:9

Don't ever give up praying, because Jesus will answer our prayers. "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." John 5:14-15. What a wonderful promise!

Is it His will to save our families? Of course, it is!
"The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9


Blessings to you and your families.

Purpose

Hello,

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look at my new blog. I am a complete novice, so have patience with me as I learn how to communicate my thoughts using this great technology.

The Holy Spirit has been nudging me for several weeks to start this blog. Not knowing how to do it, I began searching the net to find others who have a heart for prayer. I am excited to see many other blogs and websites about prayer and praying for children. I have found only a few who specify the need to pray for our adult children’s salvation.

The burden that God has placed in my heart is to not only pray for my own unsaved family, but to pray for your families too. I know that it is a tremendous burden, but if God is the one who gave it to me, then He will give me other moms to help me to intercede in prayer and He is a great big God who will answer our prayers!

Have you ever noticed that new converts to the Christian faith will often say, “I know that my mama was praying or I know my grandma was praying”?
Thank God for those prayers! I know that God hears and answers daddy’s prayers as well, and the prayers of brothers and sisters and anyone else who is praying in faith. We need to all be praying for Jesus to save our loved ones.

I Samuel 2:25 asks this question. “If a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” You may say that you don’t know how to intercede. Romans 8:26, 27 tells us, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

As I become more familiar with writing in this blog, I hope to give you an e-mail address for you to send me your prayer requests and praise reports of answered prayers.

Until next time,
Blessings to you and your families