FROM MY JOURNAL PART 4

Most of the prayers from July 2009 to January 2013 were prayers for the church.  That was the purpose of my Tuesday prayer time.  Prayers for the church and congregation.  I hope you have benefited from reading them and pray you understand that prayers come from the heart.  From life.  And can give glory and praise.  Can ask for help.  Prayers are conversations with a God that loves to hear your voice.  Loves to spend time with you.  As often happens, my Tuesday prayer time at the church ceased when I was called in another direction. 

Occasionally a personal prayer slipped in.  January 8, 2013 –

Know what, Jesus?  I like the word new.  It is a chance to start again.  A new year.  A new day.  A new life.

I like the new life the best!  Thank you for making my new life possible.  On my own I would be absolutely lost!  On my own I would just as well stay in bed because I could not make it through the day.  I would not be able to control my anger, pride and long list of things.  Without you I would just be a human – going through life.  Just going through and not seeing the beauty, the glory nor the needs of others.

But you are so deep inside me that I take you for granted.  I expect my heart to beat and I expect you to be just as steady as my heartbeat.  I don’t mean to do that but I seem to go through the day and realize I hadn’t talked to you or read the Bible.  What amazes me is that you are deep inside me and you continue to give me words and you guide me as I teach and you give me patience to listen and you decorate the sky.

What amazes me is that you do not take me for granted.  You are constantly sending me reminders and wake-up calls.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Love, Mary

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These are not from my journal and I have shared these before.  Thought it was a good time to do so again.

This was written January 2005 after doing Purpose Driven Life:

The purpose of my life is to place God at the center of my being and to see God in all the world around me.  To be always thankful and grateful for being created by God to be his child and to know I am important to God.

With God at the center of my life, I want my character to reflect that I am a believer and that I make Christ based decisions.

I want the lives of others to be enriched by my actions and words.  I want to help family, friends and strangers move closer to God because they can see the light   in my life and hear the story from my heart.

I want to share in fellowship with other believers so we can worship together, using the talents God has given each of us, to encourage each other and celebrate our faith.

This was written for a Sunday School lesson:

Personal Statement of Faith

I believe Jesus is the Son of God.

I believe Jesus walked on this earth and that he brought the love of God

to all who will accept it.

I believe Jesus can heal souls and bodies.

Although I may have times of doubt or times of disobedience,

I believe the love of Jesus is unending and never fails.

I believe Jesus is my salvation.

I believe Jesus died so my sins could be buried with him.

I believe he arose and is with his Father.

I believe Jesus lived so he could present me to his Father

as a forgiven, cleansed daughter.

This was written during a Bible Study on David:

Jonathan had been King David's friend and the king wanted to honor his friend by restoring all the land that had belonged to his grandfather Saul.  He would restore this land to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son.  King David invited Mephibosheth, who was stooped and had crippled legs, to sit at the king's table and partake as one of his own.

From 2 Samuel 9:1-13 -- Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”   Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.”  So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.

You see, David did not see a "dead dog."  He saw the son of his friend.  That made me think about how God sees me.

My Dear Heavenly Father,

  

I approach your table on feet that have walked on the path of sin.  With hands that have stayed close to my sides instead of giving bread to the hungry and water to the thirsty.  With eyes that have refused to see injustice and a tongue which has not defended your children.  I bring ears that have not heard the cries of the needy.  I come before you with a heart that reserved love for only a few.  I bring a body that is racked with guilt over my actions.

But when I arrive, at your table, the only thing you see is your child, clean and whole.  Forgiven.  You see your daughter and you invite me to eat at your table.  To eat at your table as the King's Daughter.

BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN AT THE FEET OF JESUS

I WILL SEE THE GLORY OF GOD

AMEN AND AMEN