God's Will

First, I want to welcome my new subscribers! I hope that you can find some source of inspiration on this little "online interactive journal". I tend to look at things from a simple-minded point of view (after all, I teach 3rd graders) so if you're looking for something deep and soul stirring, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. I mostly update my readers on the progress on my first novel, The Heart's Journey Home, scheduled to be published in Feb 2010. (That's less than a year! *Squeal!*) I sometimes post snippets of chapters for preview and critique, occasionally I'll have an inspiring thought to share, but, honestly, the best part about this blog for me, the most fulfilling part, is that I get to share prayer requests with you, and there is so much to pray about in this world we're living in! It's why I'm posting again tonight.

Mondays (hopefully, if I can stay on schedule) are going to be set aside for a word or two that I'm learning in this Bible study my mom and I are doing together called, Experiencing God. I'm only on Day Two so I figured that I wouldn't really have anything to share tonight, but I did come across something that struck me personally as very profound.

Have you ever considered that you SHOULDN'T ask God what His will is for your life? I think that's all I've done and I've felt good about it because I was seeking God's will, right? WRONG! When you ask what God's will for your life is, the central focus is not on Him, but on you! Oooooo. Now I feel like sludge! So what should you do? That is what I wanted to know since I've apparently been doing it all wrong. The answer: simply seek God's will. PERIOD. It may have nothing at all to do with you, but if you see the Lord at work (And you WILL know it if you see it. It's beautiful to watch the Lord work! Simply beautiful!) make it your work, too. Jesus said in the book of John chapter 5, verse 19, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing because whatever the Father does the Son also does."

I know many of you are experiencing hardships. I'm thinking specifically of unemployment. I don't know for sure. Like I said, I'm pretty simple-minded about things, but I think that maybe if you seek the will of God in the world around you, do only what you see the Father doing, you will discover God's will for your life. Just a thought.

PRAYER REQUESTS: I'm afraid this is the real reason I posted again tonight. Prayer warriors, I need you to prepare for battle. The first one is breaking my heart as I type it. It's concerning a child and you all by now know how I am about kids. My heart strings are being yanked on. This prayer request came to me from a friend. This past weekend, her friends, Scott and Amanda Hunter, lost their precious 11-year-old daughter, Kristin, to MRSA, a type of staph infection in addition to pneumonia. Kristin spent about a week at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, but this sweet angel was just too sick to recover. Scott and Amanda will be burying their daughter this Wednesday at 11am. I am heartsick for Scott and Amanda. I don't know what else to say. What can be said to ease the pain and sorrow of the two people that have spent eleven years loving this child, watching her grow, hearing the sweet music of her laughter over and over? If nothing else, this should remind us all how fleetingly precious life is. Please, my prayer warriors, lift Scott and Amanda up as you never have before! Pray that they will have the strength to make it through these first terribly, almost impossibly, difficult weeks. Pray that each minute they make it through will bring them healing and a measure of peace. Pray that when they are weak they will find solace in the Lord's strong and mighty arms, and in each other. Pray that Scott and Amanda are wrapped in the comfort and love of their family and friends. Pray that their emptiness be filled with only the Lord. Please also pray for the children in Kristin's class. How can an 11-12-year-old child begin to try to comprehend what has happened to their friend? Naturally, they will wonder, "Will it happen to me?" It's the way children think. Pray that their minds are eased, their worries cast away. Pray that the teachers and counselors know what to say to help these children cope. I personally pray that every single person reading this will hug their children a little tighter this evening. Scott and Amanda, I am so sorry for your loss. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you. Until then, we'll pray.

I also need you to pray for Tammy Morgan. Tammy has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She will begin an intense regiment of DAILY chemo and radiation. The doctors apparently haven't given Tammy much hope, but we know that with the Great Physician there is always hope. Please pray for Tammy for healing first and foremost. Please pray that she will experience a comfort that she has never experienced before. Pray that she will just feel the Lord's strong arms wrapped around her, rocking her gently like the wonderful daddy that He is. Pray for a peace that could only come from Heaven. Pray for Tammy's family. It is not easy to watch a loved one go through somethign so difficult. Please pray that they will have the strength they need to help her every step of the way.

I also need you to pray for my cousin, Karianne Peltier. Karianne is going to have a baby, but she is very, very sick. Please pray first and foremost for the safety of Karianne and this precious life growing inside of her. Please pray that her sickness will ease considerably. Please pray for her doctors to have divine wisdom. Karianne was supposed to have seen her doctor today so hopefully I'll have an update for you very soon.

Speaking of UPDATES: My friend Patty Smith is getting ready to travel to Houston. She and her husband are going to be able to fly with an organization called Corporate Angels. I don't know that much about it but apparently they fly cancer patients to where they need to go for little or no cost. What a blessing! She will be heading out on Thursday and I will be waiting anxiously for an update which I will most certainly pass along to you. Please pray mightily that the Lord will be right there with them when they meet this doctor. Pray that this doctor will have the wisdom to know exactly what to do for Patty so she can be healed once and for all! Pray that Patty and Ken will be encouraged and comforted as never before!

Here is an update on Katie Leach from today written by her mother, Ashley: 3/22/09 7:30 p.m. ummmmmm--one of Katie's surgeon's just left. She saw our girl, checked her belly, asked a few questions. We told her Katie has been up in the chair since 11:30 this morning. Yes, you heard that right--Katie has been up almost ALL day long! yea! This particular surgeon said she is not the final say on this, but she also said Katie looks so great she might be able to go home TOMORROW!!!! Are we hearing that right?! We need to get a few more things settled--still waiting for that pathology report, Katie needs to do some walking and the other surgeon needs to sign off. But, kids--we might get to go home tomorrow! Keep praying! I'm thrilled beyond words! Don't know what else to say! May it be! :) Ashley If you have a facebook account, you really have to join the group "Praying for Katie Leach" and get to know this amazing family. They have made me see things in a whole new light. If you don't have a FB account, consider getting one. It's a really wonderful communication tool.

Also, my Olivia has another blood test tomorrow to check what her platelet count is doing. It's been a month and a half. Please pray that her body is starting to heal and that her platelet count will start coming up.

That's it for now. Please, always feel free to email me prayer requests (even unspoken). There is truly and undeniably power in prayer. Please, forward this blog address to all of your praying friends and ask them to join in lifting up our list of prayer concerns. Also, please consider subscribing to this blog. It's just a matter of convenience. It's free and you will be automatically notified of new posts. I sincerely appreciate your support of this ministry of sorts that I've started in hopes of spreading this little light of mine in a dark and gloomy world.