Friday's Grief

Following a Thursday night of Insomnia, I end up dealing a little more heavily with my grief.  I know that it is harder because it is the day that will FOREVER be remembered as the day that I lost my precious Madilyne, but since I also suffer from insomnia, everything is heightened when you are working on lack of sleep.

I am thankful that God is my source of strength and has been so faithful to me to hold me up during my moments of grief.  I am also thankful for the community of friends that God has brought to us to be praying on our behalf.  So many of my prayers these days just sound like the groanings that you read about in scripture.  It has helped me better understand what speaking in tongues could look like.  I have no idea what to pray, and my spirit is so grieved, that all I am able to do is groan and cry.  I am thankful that the Holy Spirit takes it to Jesus on my behalf.  I truly have no idea what to pray for in our next moment.

Romans 8:26-27
the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Praise Him in the Storm

Tonight was a great night with my family as we sat in Madilyne's room and lit a candle for her and Jordan.  We sat in the stillness of the room and reflected on the goodness of the Lord in our lives.

We were able to pray together and honestly thank the Lord for the blessing in our lives through Jordan, Madilyne, George and Bently.  Each one of them was a short time in our home, and we had many failures in them, but we prayed that God would still be able to use them and us.

We thanked God for protecting our Turner David through pregnancy, birth and almost his 4th year of life (Oct 28 he will be 4).  We praised God in the joy that he has provided to us and asked for wisdom in raising him and teaching him to Love the Lord.

We prayed that our marriage would be something that shows the love of Christ first to each other, to our son and then to those around that are watching.

We were able to pray for those that are walking the path we are on, and those that might be walking it with no hope.  We prayed for opportunities to show and tell of the hope in Christ to others.

What a great night in the midst of our sorrow and hurt.  You truly can have joy even in your trials if you CHOOSE to have it.

James 1: 2-18

² Count it all joy, my brothers,^[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

⁹ Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, ¹⁰ and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass^[c] he will pass away.¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

¹² Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lightswith whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.^[d] 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures

Pregnancy Loss Awareness

Heaven will hold you before we do,
and keep you safe until we come home to you.

Today is Pregnancy Loss awareness, and I would like to make you aware, that every one of you knows someone that has suffered the loss of a child by either a miscarriage, still birth and early infant death.  You may not realize you know someone, but I guarantee you do.  It is not something you are aware of until you walk the path.  It is amazing and sad how many people experience such grief and do so completely alone.

I would like to encourage you all to support those you know and those you know but you aren't aware they have suffered so, by lighting a candle tonight from 7-8 pm.  I would like to ask that you even go a step further and consider using that time to pray for some of the following situations:

1. The Ridgeway family (I know this isn't related to pregnancy loss, but it is a huge loss and they need hope in the SAVIOR)
2. People you know that are pregnant
3. People that have suffered a loss of a child
4. Ask God to help you care for people walking such a path
5. That the GOOD NEWS of Christ can reach those walking this path that do not have HOPE.
6. (Insert your own)

Just pray...God uses prayer to touch the lives of those walking this out.  He knows who they are, even if you don't.  As a person walking this path, I can testify to how prayer provides hope, trust, help, peace and so much more.  Do not forget to pray for people.  God wants to use you if you will just be willing.

James 5:13-18
¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.^[b] 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.