Prayer for Growth and Change

Dear God,
There comes a time when I have to realize some people just don't change. Some of us don't even think we need to change. I find it a shame that we can't see there is always room to grow, always room to love people a little more.

I believe if we ever get to the point when we think we've come as far as we can it is detrimental to our overall growth. Whether it be physical, spiritual, mental or emotional we get stagnant and it effects us in more ways than one.

Relationships can't grow if I refuse to forgive, accept, or love. If I am selfish and won't take the time to invest in other people then in the end what will I have left.

I have looked at the example of Jesus many times and He loved, forgave and accepted people right where they were. If they needed a kind word or deed He was willing to give. He gave so unselfishly to everyone around Him. He gave unselfishly to the world when He took all the horrible sin, disease, hate, unforgiveness, selfishness, self-serving acts of all the world on Himself.

Looking at myself I have to ask "Am I willing to love unselfishly?"
"Am I willing to put the interest of others before my own?"

Certainly in my own flesh the answer is a loud "No." I admit that to You Father.

But praise Jesus that when He came to reside in me as my life I don't have to be selfish, I can give all in His strength. When I am willing to allow Him to be love through me I find I can do it rather easily because Your precious Son said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

When I give Him my burdens, sin, sandpaper people, hard circumstances, and selfishness I will find He takes those burdens and gives me rest.

I do not want to stay the same. I want to grow more every day. Thank You Father that You have given me a way to do that.

How about you? Do you want to grow and change or are you happy where you are right now?

Today's Prayer: Son is Getting Married

Dear God,
The Hound is getting married tomorrow. What an amazing thing to be happening to my baby. Yes I know You have told me to let him grow up and I am seriously trying. Is this what you meant? To make him stop needing me anymore and start depending on another woman.

Yahoooo! Celebrate good times come on!(I'm singing) My pompoms are flying high!

Seriously it probably won't change much but maybe just maybe she'll get some of the whining and she'll have to look into those big sad eyes when he wants her to do something. Giving in to him will be the only thing she can do and she will. Then she will be mad cause she didn't have the guts to tell him no! Ahhh it's her turn.

Yes I have raised a spoiled young man but he has a good heart and a bit of ambition. He's looking for his dream but hasn't quite found it. I know You're leading him. I can relate because I'm only just finding mine. We are in fact a lot alike as I am spoiled too. But I'm 47 years old for crying out loud, don't I have the right to be spoiled after all those years of spoiling two kids?

Now that he's getting married there may be grand kids in my future. Don't You agree I need to rest up for more spoiling. I hear it's a lot of work when it comes to those grands. So with The Hound hitched and The Fox out on her own I'll recuperate from all those years of hard work and get ready for another round.

Thank you God for the opportunity to have kids to spoil, for kids that are finding their way, and for the blessing that The Hound has found a good godly woman. More than that thanks for the love and grace You share with me every day. You are quite the awesome One.

Is It Okay To Question God?

If God were sitting right beside you now, on the couch, the bed, in a chair or in the kitchen on a bar stool watching you cook, what would you talk to Him about?

Would you ask Him questions about world peace and if or when it will come? How about the Japan earthquake and tsunami?

Maybe you'd ask Him why questions. Why did she die? Why did my marriage end? Why can't I find a job? Why do I feel so lonely? Why are my kids so far from you when I raised them in church? Why can't I have children?

Maybe you'd ask how questions. How did you make this body that works so perfectly in tune? How is it the ocean waves come to shore then carry me back out into the water? How can I go on when my world is falling apart? How can You stand by and watch innocent children go hungry?

Who questions. Who will I marry? Who will save me from myself? Who am I? Who are You?

Conversation with the Father can be full of difficult questions or it can be easy talking about everyday life. It's whatever you need it to be. He is there to listen and build a relationship with you.

Is it ok to ask the hard questions? Sure, He knows our questions before we ask them. Is it alright to be angry at life and at God when things don't turn out the way we want them to? He knows that too. Just tell Him how you feel, get it out in the open. It's not like we can hide it from Him.

When my father died in 1999 I had never lost anyone that close to me before. My heart was broke in half and it literally hurt. I did not know how to express the hurt, pain and anger I felt. One night before the funeral I went to daddy's house alone and sat down with a pad of paper and a pen. My thoughts and feelings flowed as I wrote everything I felt. Everything! I told God how I felt He betrayed me by taking my father, how angry I was, how I wasn't sure how I would go on, that I didn't know how to do this thing called "living" without my precious hero. When I was done, I was done. It was over, the anger subsided and I had resolved many of the issues that troubled me. As I read the words I wrote I saw that I began to accept his death a little more as I expressed myself on paper. I needed to tell my heavenly Father what was going on in my heart and mind to be able to move to the next step. He listened, He comforted and He loved me that night. Don't misunderstand me, grief is a long process for some of us and it was for me but that night was the first step for me.

Tell God whatever you need to tell Him, ask all the questions you want, He will never turn His back on you. He is faithful, He is love and He understands.

2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.