Making Scripture Your Prayer

"In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.  Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; turn you ear to me and save me.  Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.  Deliver me O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. 

For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.  From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb.  I will ever praise you.  I have become like a portant to many, but you are my strong refuge.  My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.  Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone."  v 12. "Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me." Psalm 71 1-9; 12

What a beautiful Psalm.  Why don't we make this our prayer today?  Turn everything over to the Lord and He will deliver you!!!

Please pray for Massimo and especially for Terry Murray today.   Have a blessed Thursday!! 

Love,

Tracy

Have Faith

"Jesus answered them, have faith in God." Mark 11:22

Todays devotion is from the devotional book called "Daily Healing"

Perhaps, more than anything else, I need something to bolster my faith today.  So I remember Jesus' words to His disciples: "Have faith in God."  This powerful reminder speaks to me now in this very moment, encouraging  me in a faith that uplifts my thoughts.  I move from thinking about the size and complexity of a challenge tot he power and presence of God in the midst of me and in everything that concerns me.

Having faith in God does not change God, but it does change me.  My view of all things takes on the added glow of spiritual understanding.  My faith in God brings clarity  to the most confusing situations.  I am making my life a work of faith and discovering the blessings that are everywhere present in my world.

I love that first line of the last paragraph.  We are changed through our faith and trust in Jesus.  Put all your faith in Him! Have a great Wednesday.  Please continue to pray for Terry, Brian, Sara, Vicky and Massimo. 

Love,

Tracy

You Are Not Alone

"For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." Mark 11-22-23

God can move the mountains in your life.  Things may seem impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.  Is your marriage in trouble?  God can heal it and put it back together.  Are you having financial troubles?  God can fix them.  He will direct your path right to Him.  Be faithful to Him, don't give up and He will help you, one day at a time get back on your feet.  The road may seem long, but once it is traveled it didn't seem that far - did it?  There are miracles given by God.  God still heals.  God loves you.  Don't give up.  There will be healing for your marriage, for your finances, for your body.  Don't handle it alone.  Turn to God!   I love you.  Have a great day.  

Please continue to pray for Brian, Terry, Vicky and for Massimo.

Love,

Tracy

Holding Onto Hope

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

No matter who we are, what we've done, or what we do-His love for us never ends.  Come to Him with a repentive heart.  Serve Him with all your heart.

He is your shining light at the end of the tunnel.  When all else fails-Jesus won't.  He said I will never leave or forsake you.  We get wrapped up in our daily lives and leave Him sometimes.  But He is always there for you and for me.  Don't forget that. 

I liked this quote in it by CS Lewis-"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God 'Thy will be done' and those to whom God says, 'All right then, have it your way.'"  Isn't that good?  When I reflected on different times of trials in my life.  Some of them I was the first person-Lord, it is all yours, please guide and direct me to do Your will.  But I also find that a majority of the time I really can be that other stubborn person when the Lord says, alrighty then!  Even though God knows what is best for our lives we get that "I gotta have it my way" attitude.  I am so thankful that He always shows me the way back to him.  I pray I am obedient to follow!  

Scott and I went to visit his grandmother yesterday.  She is 93 and has been in poor health for about 10 years now.  She moves quite slow and is losing her hearing.  As we  spoke, at first the usual small talk, she said I don't know that I'll make it until spring.  I don't know how I made it this far, I can't do much.  But I know what I can do is pray, not only for my family, children and grandchildren, but for this country and my neighbors and Obama.  This country is in horrible shape.  She said I pray that I can go soon.  I know in Heaven I won't be like this.  Then it brought my mind back to Church, a dear friend had a chance to visit with a co-worker who was in the last stages of cancer and has been given only hours to live.  She shared the conversation she had with him.  As we spoke through tears I was thinking about how much I complain daily - how can I? 

Each day in my journal I will be starting out with all the blessing the Lord has given to me, Scott's grandmothers are high on that list.  I hope you all have a blessed Monday.  Pray for others around you.  Please continue to pray for Massimo, Brian, Vicky, Terry (going back to Duke today). 

Love,

Tracy