tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post6745173635310493679..comments2023-10-31T05:55:40.177-07:00Comments on i-muse...thoughts in prep for my weekend talks: GOD, WILL YOU DO THE IMPOSSIBLE?Chris Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516129845217457060noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post-91179338583827037842008-06-26T13:59:00.000-07:002008-06-26T13:59:00.000-07:00"I am still confident of this: I will see the good..."I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14<BR/><BR/>I know the Lord is good it's just a matter of recognizing his goodness. As humans we tend to think things should be comfortable and we adjust our lifestyles to our preferred comfort levels. We want God to be nice and make everything cozy. But the fact still remains that walking with the Lord is not cozy at all. We will go through valleys and travel across mountain tops. Where we are and where we are going as a church body is completely up to the Lord. I'm excited because we are coming to an end of ourselves and are truly learning what it means to TRUST in the Lord! Maybe this is His plan after all! I know that when we are tried we'll come forth as pure as gold! So let's rejoice in the fact that God is going to do something BIG with our Body. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:23-25Tyler Byrdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13245271488621504774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post-51458869926860078992008-06-26T13:18:00.001-07:002008-06-26T13:18:00.001-07:00It was you, Lynnie, that once asked me when it see...It was you, Lynnie, that once asked me when it seemed all was going wrong, "ok, tell me what's good in your life." too often we focus on the negative. It's not that we should ignore things but we can focus on them and dwell on them. When we do, we just prove that we haven't left those burdens at the altar. I think at some point we all struggle with doubt here and there but we can't linger there. I won't linger there. God is so good! God works amazing things out! He is always faithful and never changing and I find I can rest in that even when the mountains seem insurmountable. My God is bigger than any storm. Thank you Anna for your story, it just proves how big our God is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post-68557033874094953482008-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:002008-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:00It was you, Lynnie, that once asked me when it see...It was you, Lynnie, that once asked me when it seemed all was going wrong, "ok, tell me what's good in your life." too often we focus on the negative. It's not that we should ignore things but we can focus on them and dwell on them. When we do, we just prove that we haven't left those burdens at the altar. I think at some point we all struggle with doubt here and there but we can't linger there. I won't linger there. God is so good! God works amazing things out! He is always faithful and never changing and I find I can rest in that even when the mountains seem insurmountable. My God is bigger than any storm. Thank you Anna for your story, it just proves how big our God is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post-65768606862249621332008-06-26T12:53:00.000-07:002008-06-26T12:53:00.000-07:00Wow, thank you, Anna, for leaving your story about...Wow, thank you, Anna, for leaving your story about how prayer has worked in your life. It has reminded me of how you have hung in there with God through the thick and thin of it. Thank you for allowing us at NCC to be a part of your life. Thank you for letting us help in discipling you. <BR/><BR/>Sometimes, I wonder if anybody (including myself) is really growing in the Lord. Then I read a story like yours, Anna--and I'm sure there are many others--and I say simply, "Thank you, God". <BR/><BR/>Lynnie<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Anna, I rejoice with you and am encouraged to keep praying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post-56586183489620183882008-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:002008-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:00Last night's prayer time was incredible, and I fel...Last night's prayer time was incredible, and I felt the Spirit time and time again moving among us mightily. My realization was, when the Spirit prays, you're either letting Him pray or you hinder Him from praying. Submitting to the Spirit was a bit of a struggle since I had my own list of things I wanted to pray for, but once I let go, it was smooth from that point on.<BR/><BR/>God WILL do what He intends to do, and I need to do my best not to get in His way.Sambi Katanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05251303188555679949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011572.post-79748320305696999562008-06-26T08:44:00.000-07:002008-06-26T08:44:00.000-07:00Prayer works! This has been a phrase that I have o...Prayer works! This has been a phrase that I have often repeated again and again, this year especially. That is not to say, however, that there have not been many occasions where the enemy has stepped in and attempted to give me amnesia in this realm of my thinking, because he has. But, man, thank the lord for people and prayer! It never fails. <BR/><BR/>Let me just give you an idea of what I'm talking about for those who don't know me. I have two children, my son will be 5 in a couple weeks and my daughter is 3. While I was pregnant with my daughter, prayer gave me the courage to step out of an extremely unhealthy relationship and into a safe environment to raise children. Prayer got me through school while struggling to take care of two small children. Prayer landed me a teaching job at the school of my choice, teaching the subject/grade level of my choice. <BR/><BR/>Everyone who knows me knows that I have also struggled financially. The cost of daycare is insane. The more one works to better themselves, the less assistance they receive from the government. Of course, this is the goal, but there are times when it seems like it would be less of a struggle to quit working and live off of the assistance. Prayer kept me from doing this. <BR/><BR/>I have also struggled with custody for my children. I went through a long, 2 1/2 year battle in the courts where my mother-in-law chose to step in and try to convince the courts to allow the children to be placed in an unsafe environment. Prayer led me to a Christian lawyer. The power of prayer aided in revealing the truth in court.<BR/><BR/>I feel like I am rambling here, but I truly can go on and on. The point is, prayer works. I am still on housing assistance, but prayer has opened the door for me, yet again, and I should be off of it by this time next year. Not only that, but I spoke to someone yesterday about buying a house. Me! Buying a house! I still can't believe it. The power of prayer led me to a program that will assist me with the mortgage payments until I no longer need it. Prayer has led me to invest in a fitness company that has not only given me support to get into better shape, but is now starting to pay off financially as well. <BR/><BR/>It is truly amazing to sit and marvel at the wonders of prayer. Am I always convinced? No. I struggle just like everybody else. But, man, I would be a fool to let that struggle take hold. I've witnessed far too many answered prayers. Last night, though I could not make it to NCC, my daughter and I (my son fell asleep before we got home) prayed for unity in the church. I will continue to pray for the eradication of the financial burden that many churches face. I will do this knowing that PRAYER WORKS!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com