Refuge for a Single Mom

The mission statement for the National Day of Prayer Task Force:

The National Day of Prayer Task Force`s mission is to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the five centers of power: Church, Education, Family, Government and Media.

To read more about the National Day of Prayer, what it is and how it got started, check them out here.

(NOTE:  Their website is moving very slow today.  Regardless, be sure to check them out at some point!  The information and history makes for a really good read!)

This certainly is an event worth celebrating!  Don`t you think?

If my people, which 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.  II Chronicles 7:14

Obviously, we cannot physically `gather`, but we can come together in spirit and agreement and pray to our Father God for the needs of our Nation.

Most importantly, before you do anything else, observe 3 minutes of silence.  Reflect and search your heart.  If you have never done so, or have strayed for a while, seek personal repentance.  Make a point to be right with God before you do anything else!

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Psalm 123:23-24

Go to the Father washed by the blood of the Lamb and free of sin.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  James 5:16

In observance of the occasion, I thought that I would say a prayer, write it down and share it with my Sisters.  I`ll try to stay general and try to remember all the major things, but it IS Thursday and my brain is officially at `mush` status.  (I`m sure that I will personally be praying all day in order to remember everything!)  When praying your own prayer, please feel free to add your own concerns, prayer requests, and special needs!  I thought it would be nice to have some sort of guideline to get you started!


Dear Precious Father in Heaven,

Today is a day that our Nation acknowledges You and acknowledges the power of prayer.  Lord, I pray that as groups gather and heads bow all over our Nation, that people would have the eyes to see and the ears to hear of Your glory, Your grace, Your unconditional love and Your blessings!  I pray for the salvation of our brothers and sisters as they are encouraged to seek You and welcome You into their hearts today!  Ultimately Lord, I pray that salvation is seen in unbelievably, large numbers.

Lord, I pray for our churches, their pastors, leaders and congregations, for their dedication, wisdom and perseverance as they reach out and minister to others.  Please Father, be their rock and their refuge in a world that ridicules and mimics Christians.  Help them to hold on to the promises of Your Word and the hope of life everlasting.

Father, please guide our school systems as they are faced with challenging decisions every day.  Help them to make clear, concise and wise choices for the future of our children.  Please protect and guide our teachers and administrators through the numerous obstacles they face as they dedicate their lives to the growth and education of our children.  Please help them to be encouraging, nurturing, positive influences in our children’s lives.

Please Father, protect our children, at school, at home and at play.  They are faced with so many decisions and temptations every day.  They are picked on and bullied; they struggle with the stresses of academic and athletic performance, Lord, they need You so very much.  Please Lord, I ask that You veil them in Your protection.  It`s hard to believe, but I know that You do indeed love them even more than we do and I trust Father, that You will hold them tight in Your loving arms, safe from harm.

Please Lord, protect our entire families as we are continually attacked by the cruelties and temptations of this sinful world.  Father, please shield our relationships with spouses, children, parents, siblings, friends, neighbors and co-workers, and bless us with the ability to cultivate these relationships and nurture them in a way that is glorifying to You.

Father, I pray for our Nation, her leaders, her servicemen and their families.  Please help those in power to have clarity and make sound, wise decisions.  Lord, please, please, dispatch Your own army of guardian angels to protect and shelter our servicemen.  Father, please allow them to come home to their families safe and unharmed.  In the meantime, Lord, I pray that their families could find peace and rest in Your arms.

Lord, I pray for those in positions to inform and guide the citizens of this country.  Please Father help them to use wisdom and have clarity when choosing their words.  The media plays an important role in the morale and temperament of our nation`s people.  Lord it is obvious that they need Your support and guidance in every decision they make.

Most importantly, Father, today, as many people everywhere will be praying FOR so many things, I want to take the time to thank You, with my whole heart, for loving me and for sacrificing Your son for my salvation.  I thank You for my family`s safety and health, for the many blessings that You bestow upon me, for the opportunities You present me with each and every day and the prosperity and success, love and friendship that You offer to me not only through my Earthly friends and loved ones, but especially through You.  You are my rock and my fortress, my shelter in the rain.  Hallelujah!

In Your Precious Holy Name Lord,

Amen


For more information and ideas:  National Day of Prayer – Official Website

Check out these nifty little Prayer Bracelets

Labels: Believe, Prayer, Repentance, Way of Thinking

Recently, during a church board meeting, focused on `re-grouping` and `re-structuring` our `outreach` efforts, our Pastor concentrated mainly on Acts 2 which outlines the original spread of Christianity and the power of the church.

I felt very motivated and inspired from this, so I thought I might share it!

Acts 2:37-47

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles` teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;

and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

This basically sets the guidelines for salvation, the `steps` so to speak.

“Be saved from this perverse generation!” ~ That sounds familiar!  I still find myself in amazement at the corruption that continues to plague our society.  Most of which is completely legal!

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles` teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  ~  How many of us could actually use the words `continually devoting` in reference to our teaching, fellowship or prayer?  To anything that pertains to God?

“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs . . . “  I STILL feel a sense of awe when I see God`s work and supernatural power!

“praising God and having favor with all the people”  Do you receive favor?  I can tell you first hand, if you approach people with sincerity and with the love of God shining through, you will be surprised at how many times you will receive His favor ~ for no apparent reason!  Let me give you an example . . . I had returned an item and I waited 6 weeks for the credit to be applied to my credit card . . . nothing happened!  Once again, I called the company and explained the circumstances.  Like most other representatives, this gentleman could have demanded proof of the return or presented me with some sort of series hoops to jump through!  He did not.  He immediately issued me credit for the item and for several other charges I had incurred due to his company`s error.  (Credits that were not originally offered to me!)  The total for this ended up being $88.98!  That`s a chunk of change!

My main point here is simply this . . . get excited about God!  Approach everything in life BECAUSE of God!  Get excited about eternal life!  This world we live in is just temporary!  If the moms at the PTA give you a hard time and judge you ~ so be it!  If the ladies in the hair salon whisper because they know your ex-husband ~ so be it!

Personally, I`m tired of the judgment!  I have carried guilt, condemnation, fear, insecurity and all sorts of other kinds of `junk` around for long enough!  The people looking down their noses at you do not have a clue what is going on!  Stand up straight!  Hold your head high and look to your Father in Heaven for support!  He created you in His image!  He created you with a plan!  You are a beautiful, magnificent daughter of the Almighty God in Heaven!  Praise God!

Ultimately, this is your ministry!  People (sinners) will see your beauty (inside and out) they will begin to yearn for what you have (God)!  You certainly do not have to be arrogant about it, but just be you, be the YOU that God personally made you to be!  Be the YOU that has been born again ~ made new!  I was reminded recently that God knows how many hairs are on your head!  If He is concerned about something so insignificant, imagine how much thought and time and love He put into who you are!  Glorify Him in everything you do!  Amen!

Labels: Repentance, Salvation

For those of you that have come accustomed to hanging out with me and aren`t `single moms` ~ I apologize.  Today is a single mom day.  ~It`s what I know!  *big smile*

This week in general has been pretty difficult for me.  I`m having some issues with being a single mom!  Hang on though!  Not because I am one necessarily!  I love my children and I love where my life is headed.  I love God and He is taking care of us.  ”Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”  Acts 3:19

Certainly, if I could choose my life to be different, I would!  My sons would have a father and I would have a loving husband.  There would be someone to share the joy with as well as the responsibility.  We`d have a white picket fence and a dog!  *wink*

For whatever reason though, this is where my life is.  Probably the biggest part of it is because I chose to live a sinful life full of satisfying one fleshly desire after another!  I spent quite a bit of time with all the wrong kinds of people and I was taken advantage of.  In MANY ways!  "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.  Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?  Ezekiel 18:30-31

Regardless, whatever set it all in motion, God is using what I know and what I`ve experienced to reach out to you!  Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.  Proverbs 1:23

My issues this week, however, are with the stereotypes that surround us.  Why is it that people can`t just accept us for who we are?

Jesus Christ DIED for my sins and has forgiven my transgressions ~ why can`t people?  (By the way ~ we ARE just people!  All of us!  Look at God!  Is anyone greater than Him?)  Perhaps we should all take a look.  Remember this when someone treats you like a nobody!  And if you are treating someone like a nobody ~ you had better pray about it!  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Matthew 3:2

Single Moms are some of the strongest, most courageous women you will ever meet!  If it snows ~ they shovel.  If the grass needs cut ~ they cut it.  The house, the laundry, the dishes, and meals ~ they take care of all those!  The kids` homework ~ Mom.  Discipline & chauffeuring ~ Mom!  Groceries ~ Mom!  Most of these women have little to no family to help out and certainly can`t afford a babysitter or housekeeper!  Did I mention `can`t afford`?  Yep!  Even after leaving their babies for 40 ~ 60 hours per week, they STILL can`t afford to support them!  Please don`t get me started on Health Care!  Welfare?  Oh heavens!  The `system` is seriously amiss in most cases.  When we cry, we cry alone and late at night.  We have to schedule this in after the kids` bedtime so we don`t upset them too!

Often times, these women were `dumped` by their husbands.  They are left with nothing.  Just getting out of bed each day is a serious challenge!

Some might say `boo hoo` you deserve it!  OK ~ I`ll bite!  Why?  Why do I (or any other single mom) deserve to be overwhelmed, abused, neglected, stereotyped, alienated or just plain treated badly?  Did I miss the memo where everyone was told to ignore the single mom?  Worse yet . . . did I miss the one that said I couldn`t be a Christian if I was a single mom?  Personally, I am very tired of my marital status being an issue!  Is it totally necessary for me to air my dirty laundry and share my sob story in great detail in order for other human beings to accept me?   I am a person too.

"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”   Luke 17:3

God loves me!  God forgives me!  Shouldn`t everyone else?  Or are there really people out there that think their opinion is more important than His?


Deuteronomy 24:1-5
Law of Divorce


1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, 2 and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man`s wife, 3 and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance. 5 “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

Labels: Forgiveness, Lonliness, Repentance