prayer challenge - day 30

“In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award to me on that day; and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:8

Lord, we all want to wear that crown. Cultivate in us a longing for your appearing. Nurture that love in us.

prayer challenge - day 28

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint” I Peter 4:9

Hospitality- love of strangers - Lord, help me…my children and my husband, too…to be less focused on my own needs and more of those around us. Open our eyes to see those needs. The new couple at church. The lonely widow at the grocery store. The teen who acts unlovable. Show us how to meet their needs. If we need to be more organized so we’re able to, then help us do that. If we need to be less rushed so as to have time for others, help us do that. Whatever you need to do IN us so that You can love THROUGH us, then do it, Lord.

And remind us not to complain about it when You provide opportunities for us to love!

prayer challenge - day 27

Combining today’s prayer challenge with Wednesday’s Word…

Jesus said “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world” John 16:33

There are hard things going on. I think about friends in really hard places. Places like infertility…and then their “one chance at pregnancy” births a special needs child. A place of a difficult marriage…I mean a really difficult marriage. Loneliness…doubt…insecurity. The place of fostering and adoption which have so much beauty…that is usually birthed through unspeakable pain. The place of rejection…and what that does to your view of yourself. Places in parenting that deplete all your resources…physical, emotional and sometimes financial (just ask friends who’ve paid for drug rehab…). Places of caregiving for aging parents - scary, lonely, wearisome. Places of cancer, special needs children, divorce. Nobody expects it to happen to them.

There are hard places in life. Really hard.

I don’t know why we are surprised by them, though. Jesus told us to expect it. Life is hard. We need not be surprised. I don’t know why we usually are.

I’m not saying “suck it up, buttercup” but I do think we need to ask the Lord to make us stronger. To not only not be surprised at the difficulties we find ourselves in but also to not think we are entitled to special treatment because of difficult circumstances. We might be tempted to look at others and think they have it easy…but rest assured, there are things going on in the lives around us that are plenty hard. The Enemy wants to destroy us all. So hang in there. Know this life is supposed to be hard. “Resist him (the Enemy), firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethen who are in the world” I Peter 5: 9

Girlfriends, if other folks can go through this same suffering victoriously, so can we!!!!