Not About Me

A friend of mine's husband recently died suddenly during emergency heart surgery. She is my age, her 2 boys are the same age as Dalton and Carson. I hurt for her. I mean really hurt for her. I find myself weeping, sobbing, and having anxiety for what her and her boys are going through. And as much as my heart hurts for them, it is NOTHING even close to what they are feeling. I am writing this for a couple of reasons: 1. For you to please lift Jennifer Ogle, her boys Hudson and Cooper, and the rest of Jason's family in prayer. I know that right now she said she can feel the prayers and they are keeping her going. 2. To remember that we are here for a limited amount of time, to leave a legacy for Jesus.

While I didn't know Jason, it is so obvious that he truly left a legacy and definitely touched people. I pray that this will remain evident to his boys as they grow and they will turn to God their heavenly Father as their Dad did. I am going to post a link to her blog and to the memorial fund incase any of you would like to donate and or follow her experience. She is blogging as an outlet right now, and while her pain is obvious, her faith shows through in multitudes! Please come together prayer warriors!

Jennifers Blog: www.mom2hudsonandcooper.blogspot.com

Memorial Fund: http://www.giveforward.com/inlovingmemoryofjasonogle

Who's Your One Person?

Well, after finding out yesterday's news, today was still hard. Of course, I am sure it will be hard for awhile. You can see the post below if you need to catch up, just another crazy day in my life! lol

So today was a great sermon as usual, a pretty decent day at home, I even got a little nap in. (Thanks honey!) We had a night of prayer at The Exchange tonight, and while I had plans for an easy, quick dinner, that is not what happened! After a losing battle with a can of crescent rolls, and a change of plans to McDonald's, we were on our way.

Now tonight was soooo AMAZING, that it was immediately obvious why the 45 minutes before were so crazy! Satan did not want us there at all! Ha Ha to him!

One of the first things we were to pray about, was to ask God to show us one person or family that needs Jesus, and to pray for them and ask God how to show Christ's love to them. Who do you think God showed me? Hmmmmm....my dad! Yep! Can you believe it? Have you ever wanted to get up in the middle of church because you were really convicted of something? Well, I can tell you that I did tonight! (I mean wanted to, I didn't really leave! :) ) While we prayed about several other things, God really showed me that no matter what, no matter how he treated me, that he too needs Jesus, and that he too is a child of God. Uuugghhh, talk about a punch in the stomach!

Another thing they did tonight, was ask people that had a heavy burden that was maybe hindering them from truly worshiping to stand up. Well, guess who needed to stand?! Immediately as I stood, I felt God's presence all over me, all around me, even in my toes I think! Joel then asked to people to go to the people standing and cover them in prayer. WOW! To have several people hugging me, praying out loud to God on my behalf, it was AMAZING! And God showed me right then, that I am loved! I mean, I truly felt so much love, that I can't even begin to explain it! Thank you sooo much to my Exchange Family! I love y'all sooo much!

All of this being said, Who is your one person or family that you can begin praying for, and showing Christ's love too? Be ready when you ask God to show you that person, it may not be who you were expecting!

Praying for Obama

All right, I know I may take some grief for this post, but when God speaks-I TRY to listen. I have been sooooo bad about griping about our new president and all of his so called plans, and also his non-ethical beliefs. But, I have realized today, that he is our President, and we need to be praying for him, daily! God allowed him to be placed in this position, nothing happens by accident. We as the Christian people of our country need to ban together and PRAY! God tells us to pray without ceasing, and in today's economic situation prayer seems to be needed now more than ever!

Do I like his ideas? Not so much. Did I vote for him? No. I couldn't vote for someone that has beliefs that go against God and The Bible. But, God does not tell us to only pray for Christians, and those who believe in Him, but for all. Could he possibly become a changed man during his term in office? ABSOLUTELY! Has God changed people instantly in the past? Yes! Look at Saul. A murderer of people who followed Jesus, reborn to follow Christ! Take a look at your local church, many people have a past not pleasing to God...drug dealers, gamblers, adulterers, exotic dancers, many more. All who have now been forgiven. All who have now accepted Jesus Christ as their redeemer! Their past slates wiped clean! They are proof that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GOD!

So with that said, I believe that not only do we need to be praying for his decisions daily, but we need to be praying that God will change him. That he would become on fire for The Lord! What a great day that would be! Every one can change. And to quote our new prez "A change is coming" Let's hope so! How awesome would that be?

I challenge you all to commit to pray for him and for our country.
God Bless

Prayer Update

I am copying this from the blog from earlier, so that you may have an update:

I got an update from Amy today about Kristi. She had her first treatment with no reaction so far and she gets to go home to her mom's house! Her whole family will be staying there. She will be in bed, but they will all be together. Praise God. Pray for peace in that wonderfully full home and for continued healing of Kristi's c-section wound. The cancer medicine is causing it to heal slowly. Thank you all for your continued prayers!

Urgent Prayer Needed

Ok, so this is going be seem strange, but I believe that all things happen for a reason, and that God causes no accidents. But, I stumbled upon a couple of blogs this morning asking for prayer for a woman I don't even know, and after praying for her, I felt prompted to post her story and ask for prayer from any of you that read this. This is what I copied from one of the blogs:

Please Pray
Folks, I've got to ask you all urgently to pray for some friends. So as not to give too many personal details, I need to be a little sketchy here.Chuck and Kristy just found out that she has stage 4 bone cancer and stage 4 liver cancer as well. The doctors are checking to see if she also has breast cancer. They have 2 children, age 4 and under, and Kristy was pregnant with their third child when the cancer was discovered (just last week, I think). The baby was delivered immediately (a month early), but is doing fine. She has been transferred to a cancer unit and will begin a very aggressive chemo very soon. Please, please pray for this family. Thank you.

Please Pray

I am so confused. I am listening and obeying God. And most importantly, I am being still (or silent). But, now that I am where I feel God truly wants us, I really, really miss my home. And when I say home, I mean our church. My church, where things were comfortable, where I was totally fine and content. My church, where life started over for me...My church where my husband and I were not only married, but recommitted our lives over to Christ when we realized how without Him we really were! My church, where my boys have gone all their life. My church where all my friends are, friends that have been there for me, friends that have helped me, guided and taught me to be a better wife, mother, daughter of Christ, and friend to others. And while I write this, God keeps whispering "Not your church, but My Church". Ouch!

I only write this today, to ask you to pray for me. Pray that I am not selfish. Pray that I continue to listen and obey God, and not my flesh. Pray that God will change my flesh. Because right now, I just want to go home!

Pray for all those that their lives have been touched at the new church we are attending. Their are a bunch of people there that have never even been introduced to Christ before, so this church is truly God led. And while I love The Exchange, and I know this is where God wants us, I am having a really hard time today. Did I mention that I am writing this through a flood of tears?

Speaking of floods, God has been flooding us with things on marriage. You know how God gives you what you need when you need it? Well, that is definitely the case. Funny how we can hear God, agree, and even commit to obey, and then mess up royally! That is what I seem to keep doing. Good intentions all the way, but then when it comes time to actually use what I have learned...All out the window....AAAAGGGGHHH!

So please, continue to keep us in your prayers as we take on stripping our selfish desires, and deny our flesh daily. I have just started realizing what that means by the way!

Hurricane

I just saw pictures of Galveston and Houston for the first time since Ike actually hit, and I am mortified! I immediately started crying, no, weeping, for all of the people that have lost their homes. I could not imagine having to flee from my house, knowing the severity of the hurricane and the damage seen on TV, and not knowing what to expect when you are finally allowed to go back home (if you have a home).

I would like to challenge anyone who reads this blog, to continue daily to lift up everyone affected by these horrific storms. I pray that God would work in each of their lives, and that if they do not know Christ, that somehow through this, they would be led to Him.

It is truly hard for me to look at my pictures of our trip to Galveston this summer, and our wonderful memories there, and then to see the pictures of it now. If anyone that reads this, was affected, or knows anyone who was affected, please, please, let me know how/if I can be of any help! While I live in the DFW area, I can promise you that I am seriously and deeply praying for you and your families.