thoughts?

Our prayers may be awkward.
Our attempts may be feeble.
But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it
and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.

—Max Lucado

thoughts?

I Know the Plans I Have For You

Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

I love this verse! It always speaks to me in times of distress or doubt. I have been going through a lot of both lately and as always this verse has brought me back to the feet of my Lord. What a beautiful precious place to be.

This verse has carried me through a lot of hard times in my life and I use it on almost a daily basis. Sometimes it is the prayer I say under my breath through out the day when life seems to overwhelm me. The words of the Spirit just grant me a peace that I really can't explain or comprehend. When we went through so much pain with infertility, this verse is often what Charlie and I read before bed at night. There are others, of course. But, I believe this is the verse that really sustained me through that painful time. And, each time I prepare to have another baby I focus on these words. It helps calm the storm in my heart. Something about these words just erases all fear.

Lately I have been doubting myself, my actions, my purpose that God has called me to. Satan has been very active in trying to control my mind and thoughts. I am by nature, a worrier. Everyone that knows me, knows that! :o) It has been extremely hard to overcome this flaw. I am still fighting that uphill battle but lately I am feeling the power within me is greater than the force that is trying to drag me down.

I have been praying through this all week as we have dealt with various trials. This morning as the girls finally feel better and we feel somewhat normal (what a horrible stomach bug), Charlie and I were drinking coffee and discussing what we need to accomplish before Drew arrives and also just basic plans for today. All of a sudden while talking through things with my husband, I realized just how much control I have been allowing Satan to have over my mind! I rebel at the thought of relinquishing control of even one tiny aspect of my life. That is a very sobering thing to realize about yourself. However, I must face this battle head on. I DO NOT have control of my life, nor should I even try. The battle belongs to the Lord. My job is to praise and follow HIM with every fiber of my being, with everything that is within me! The very idea that I can control my life is an idea that spawns from the enemy. Yes, I can make decisions from my own free will but I cannot control the circumstances that evolve from those decisions! I cannot control the plans that my God has for me and my family. We are only to pray to make the best decisions and to serve our Lord God with all of our ability!

Even now, as I type this, Satan is pressing in and trying to convince me that nothing will ever change, that God does not care about me, that HE is not with me! And, I know, without a doubt, that is the biggest lie ever from the Father of ALL LIES!!! God will pull me through and carry me throughout all of my trials and struggles! I am the one who often pulls away in my doubt.

Thank you for reading my novel today and for praying for my family this past week. It really means so much to me. Thank you for standing in the gap for me when I need someone the most!

I hope this helped someone today and even if it didn't, it really helped me to get it out and Satan has been defeated through yet another struggle!!!

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Please pray for Claire...

A quick update on Claire: I believe she may very well have strep throat. She is not eating at all and I think I am seeing some white spots on the inside of her mouth. She is also running about 102 fever. She's napping right now but we may be heading to the emergency room if it gets any worse. Also, please pray that Lily and Charlie and most especially,I, because I am pregnant, do not get strep throat.

Please, pray, that my sweet Claire bear will feel SO much better soon! She is missing out on a lot today because of this and is really upset about that, too. :o(

Thanks, all of you, for any prayers you can give.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Julie

Weekend Happenings

Well, it has been one of the fastest moving weekends that I have had in a long time! It just all seems like a blur. Last night, Charlie's parents watched the girls while he took me out for fajitas (yummy) that was SO much fun and VERY appreciated!!!

We had a great visit with Mom & Dad and stayed up until about 10 pm talking and then made the 20 minute drive home. So, we are tired but it was really nice. I got to talk to my mother-in-law and just visit. :o)

Then, this morning, Lily woke up with a 102 fever, not feeling good at all. So, we stayed home because Charlie is trying to pass a kidney stone, too, we think. He has been in pretty bad pain all day. So, please pray for Charlie & Lily.

So, that's about it for my weekend wrap up! It was SO very nice to go on a date with my wonderful husband but with ups come downs and Lily and Charlie being sick has definitely been a downer today.

Please pray also for my sweet friend, Denise. She lost her brother today and is having a terrible time with her grief. May the Lord comfort her in ways only HE can.

Blessings to you all,

Julie

Thanking God today for....

Many things!!!! But, right now the thing that makes me happiest is the $167 Electric Bill I just got in the mail!!!! :o) Our Electric Bill has been averaging around $350 a month with it spiking at one time to $430 !!!!!!!! So, $167 is a great relief and helps out with some things we need to do before baby Drew gets here!!

How can you count your many blessings today?

Have a blessed week!

Quiet time this morning....

I just wanted to share with you the scriptures I read in my quiet time this morning. All 10 minutes of it before Claire jumped in the bed with Charlie & I! :o)

Sometimes instead of reading a certain predetermined passage, I just let the Bible fall open and that is what I read that day. I feel that the Lord speaks to me a lot this way. Often the words I read on that day serve as a life line to me in certain situations that I am/have been facing. Today was no different, I believe that God was telling me exactly what I need to be doing! Giving me a little correction; a little "straightening out" so to speak! :o)

Please turn to Romans 12 and read with me this morning. There is so much life in these verses. God is truly speaking to us as the church. We should never let these words be just words. They should be LIFE to us. The very air we breathe! Let's read:


Give Your Lives to God

1So brothers and sisters, I beg you to do something. God has shown us great mercy. So offer your lives as a living sacrifice F130 to God. Your offering must be only for God and will be pleasing to him. This offering of yourselves is the spiritual way for you to worship (serve) God.

2Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world. But let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what things are good and pleasing to God and what things are perfect.

3God has given me a special gift. That is why I have something to say to every person among you. Don’t think that you are better than you really are. You must see yourself like you really are. Decide what you are by the kind of faith God has given you.

4Each one of us has one body, and that body has many parts. These parts don’t all do the same thing.
5In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body. And each part of that body belongs to all the other parts.

6We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace (kindness) that God gave us. If a person has the gift of prophecy, F131 then that person should use that gift with the faith he has.

7If a person has the gift of serving, then that person should serve. If a person has the gift of teaching, then that person should teach.
8If a person has the gift of comforting other people, then that person should comfort. If a person has the gift of giving to help other people, then that person should give freely. If a person has the gift of being a leader, then that person should work hard when he leads. If a person has the gift of showing kindness to other people, then that person should be glad to do that.

9Your love must be real. Hate the things that are evil. Do only the things that are good. 10Love each other in a way that you feel close to each other like brothers and sisters. You should want to give your brothers and sisters more honor than you want for yourself. 11Don’t be lazy when you need to be working for the Lord. Be spiritually excited about serving him. 12Be happy because you have hope. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time.
13Share with God’s people that need help. Look for people that need help, and welcome those people into your homes.

14Say only good things to those people that do bad things to you. Say good things to them and don’t curse them. 15When other people are happy, you should be happy with them. And when other people are sad, you should be sad with them. 16Live together in peace with each other. Don’t be proud. Be willing to be friends with people who are not important to other people. Don’t be conceited.

17. If someone does wrong to you, don’t pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do the things that all people think are good. 18Do the best you can to live in peace with all people. 19My friends, don’t try to punish people when they do wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I am the One who punishes; I will pay people back,” F132 says the Lord. 20But you should do this: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink. In this way you will make that person ashamed. F133 ” F134 21Don’t let evil defeat you. You should defeat evil by doing good.

Thanks so much for reading & studying along with me today. I feel so burdened and find myself in need of much prayer right now. So, if you think of it, would you say a prayer for me today? Thank you.

Love,

Julie

Asking For Prayers

I am supposed to be on a blogging break but I just wanted to ask everyone to pray for us tomorrow! Please pray that the ultrasound results are good and the baby is healthy and if not that we may have the strength and wisdom and courage to deal with whatever is to be. I am not looking for bad news but I always feel we must be prepared to face it. So, if you would, please say a special prayer for us & the baby tomorrow. It would mean a lot to me going into the ultrasound room.

The ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow at 2 pm. We have a long (1 & 1/2 hr. drive) to get there. I will try to let everyone know as soon as possible about the results. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and prayers on our behalf. I am very grateful for all of our family, friends and bloggy friends! You mean so much to us!

Stay tuned for the results.......

Love and Prayers,
Julie

Please join my family in prayer for Brooklyn...

This is an email I received from my dear friend, Denise, yesterday. Please keep her sweet niece Brooklyn and Brooklyn's son Logan and the rest of the family in your prayers. Pray hard and often. This is truly something that only the Lord can take care of. Thank you.

"please pray for my niece brooklyn, she has cancer. it started out as a small place on her back, they tell us it has now spread up her spinal column, beneath her breasts, and under her ribcage. as of today, she is in the hospital in a semi-coma. she just turned 21 in march, and her little boy logan just turned 1 in march. I would very much appreciate your prayers." Denise

To motivate our children to please God

"When we appeal to our children’s hearts for excellence and choices of good behavior, then we are giving them the will and desire to be excellent all for themselves. Their desire comes from within and their motivation is from their heart. But if we train them behaviorally by always forcing them to do what we want them to do because they might get a spanking, or another kind of threatened discipline, then their motivation is to avoid spanking or harshness but not to please God or to please their parents, by having a good heart and responding in obedience." Sally Clarkson (click on Sally's name to read the rest of what she has to say).

I really needed to read this today. Claire has been having some severe temper tantrums and I think today Mama was on the verge of a major meltdown! I love Sally Clarkson's blog and I want to buy every one of her books! She is so encouraging to mothers. I really do recommend that you make a detour by her blog and read this post. It will bless you in your role as Mom. Have a great weekend!

Love and Prayers,
Julie

Please pray for Will, Tammy & Amber

Please pray for our neighbors, Will, Tammy & Amber as they mourn the loss of Will's mother earlier this week. I have meant to mention it all week and just can't seem to get on here to do it. Please pray for this sweet family.

Sunday, Sunday

Today we did not get to go to church. Lily has an ear infection and her little nose ran all night and all day today. She was so fussy that we couldn't even hold her. She would just cry and scream and hold her ear. Motrin made her a lot more comfortable. She also has not had much sleep lately so maybe that was a lot of it, too. Anyway, we did not go with her acting like that and Claire was not feeling good either. Just one of those days. :o(

So, this afternoon, after a long day of rest we went to town to stock up on some more medicine and sick people essentials plus I was completely out of groceries so I had to grab the basics to get by until the girls felt like making a longer trip. Claire had some accidents today and Lily threw up. I think Claire may have a bladder infection, not sure but I think. So, I am calling the pediatrician tomorrow to schedule appointments all around. Probably will end up rescheduling my OB that was on Tuesday so that will make the ultrasound appointment later, as well. Just thought I would let everyone know who is wanting to know the results and is praying for the ultrasound visit. I really appreciate it if you are. And, if any relatives are reading, I will call and let you know what the date of the ultrasound finally ends up being. Promise.

Anyway, we have had a long day at home. Charlie got take-out from the local cafe for lunch and we just took care of the girls all day. They slept about 4 & 1/2 hours this afternoon. So, I am pretty sure they are both feeling really bad when that happens and they are fussy. Mama just knows.

Please pray for us to get a good time for our pediatrician appointment and for the OB appt. to be rescheduled as soon as possible and for it not to mess up the ultrasound appt. Also, pray for a healthy baby and clear ultrasound.

I will try to post more later with an update but I don't know how that is going to go. Also, I have pictures of Lily's 1st birthday with family but I will have to post them later. Hope that's okay. I just don't have the time to mess with it right now (it takes forever).

Love to all & Have a great week,
Julie

*Also, please keep the Broken Bow Church of Christ in your prayers. They move into their new building this next week and please just pray for a smooth transition. Thank you.

Prayers for the Sick

This is Crystal ( Julies Sister). Please pray for my sister and her family. Julie, Claire and Lily all three have the flu. She took them to the doctor today and the girls are on three different kinds of medication. I have heard that this flu that is going around is pretty bad. I know she is going to have a hard time, being pregnant with the flu and two sick babies isnt any fun.

So please lift them up in prayer so that they may be well soon.

Thank You and Blessings
Crystal