Lord, You know the prayers of my heart for the coming year…so far I have just whispered them into the quiet, now I write them down so that later I can look back and see Your goodness and praise Your holy Name.

School starts Monday. Will you pray with me?

1. That I will be able to get up early, and be fully functioning, and that I will not be sick.

2. That I will have the energy to make it through each day without falling asleep while the children are reading, etc. (I’ve been known to do this.)

3.  That the year will go smoothly; that I will accomplish everything that I need to accomplish – and that we will finish everything before the baby comes. (Which, if my calculations are right, should be early April. Which, oddly enough (or not), because I started Adventures last spring…should be about the time we are finished with it.) My times are in Your hands...

4. That I will be a joyful, patient, loving teacher and mother (and wife)…even when I’m worn out.

5. That I will still be able to keep up with the housework and all my other duties…all the stuff I've just posted about.

Thank you. God bless.

Here is my prayer for you…that God “will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing  (Ezekiel 34:26).”

blessings,

dani

O Lord, since You are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me. –Psalm 31:3

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and wonder why you are awake?  This happens to me regularly and even though I would like to, I don’t take it lightly. If I wake up, (or if I’m woken up, which happens more regularly) and I can’t go back to sleep - which happens often - I find myself wondering if God wants me awake for a reason…because as tired as I am, I can’t imagine that my body just wants to be awake…so often I will get up and pray and spend time with the Lord. This is one of those times. The phrase, “in the quiet reaches of the night” comes to mind although I’m not sure why. This morning Mark’s mom and my son Caleb were on my heart. Here is what I felt lead to pray for Caleb along with prayers for protection over his mind. (My sweet, precious Caleb.  How I love this boy. How I pray that he will grow up to be God’s man. I claim it for him. Lord, let it be that simple.)

Father, I pray that Caleb will earnestly seek you. I pray that his soul will thirst after you.  I pray that he will long for you and that his life will bring you glory. May his lips constantly and consistently praise you. May his soul cling to you. Uphold him with your right hand. Draw him to you – to an early saving faith in you and then fill him with your Holy Spirit that he might speak the word of God boldly.

blessings,

P.S. I was curious about the phrase that was going through my mind so I did a word search to see if it was a bible verse…here are two verses that I found. Very interesting.

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.  My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.   -Psalm 119:147-148

And,

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. -Psalm 63:5-8

Wow! I love that! The phrase that I was thinking of that was so similar to "in the watches of the night" was running through my head before I prayed Psalm 63:1-5 for Caleb. Amazing. See, there really is a reason I am awake.

Today I am praying from Psalm 124. This is what I pray will come to pass.

If the Lord had not been on our side – let Israel say – (let our family say)

If the Lord had not been on our side – (let our family say) when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. 

Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.  We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.  Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  (Psalm 124:1-8)

(Let it be! Lord, let it be. Amen.)

blessings,

dani

“We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare.”  (Psalm 124:7)