prayers for us who believe to follow.....no matter what it costs...to follow....
Mark 8: 34-37 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?
38"If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels."
Prayers for and re: Jason's challenge to Small Group Leaders.....
Is all this coming from the pot of Yuban coffee I just finished or is my core value system of connecting people to authentic life-changing relationships with God and others (which happens to be SCCC's values) "Lost people matter to God, therefore they matter to us so much that we inconvenience ourselves for their sakes." (Luke 15), "Life change happens best in authentic accountable relationships." (Hebrews 10:24-25)) crying out in sadness as I look at how this is being modeled currenlty.
Prayers for all of us to I don't Father I just know YOU are there always and we who believe need to remember THAT and follow where YOU lead.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Hi Sandy,
I'm sorry to hear about your health scare. Thank goodness they didn't find anything bad. I'm glad to hear that news.
Sorry I haven't been in contact with you. My dad is still at Research Hospital. It has been 6 weeks now. He is still struggling with a lot of things. His lungs are finally showing a little improvement. I can't believe the dr.'s say after 6 weeks his lungs are only slightly better. He hasn't eaten since Sept 12th. He has a feeding tube in his stomach. He has sores on his feet that we watch because he already had a toe amputated about 10 years ago due to diabetes. His new kidney was doing good until this week. Now his urine output is low and his creatine is creeping up. He's is confused and sad. Someone in my family has been staying with him day and night. We did this when he got out of ICU because he was so weak he couldn't have pushed the nurse call button if he needed anything. Now we are still staying because of his confusion and he may try to get out of bed. He has done therapy and walked a little but he is very unstable. He is so thin, I don't see how his legs even hold him up.
Anyway that's were I've been and that's how his recovery is going. Please pass this info on as well as a prayer request for his kidney to continue working, his lungs to clear, his sores to heal and his mental state to improve.
The girls are good and very helpful and understanding since I'm not home much anymore.
Thanks Sandy.
Teresa
I'm sorry to hear about your health scare. Thank goodness they didn't find anything bad. I'm glad to hear that news.
Sorry I haven't been in contact with you. My dad is still at Research Hospital. It has been 6 weeks now. He is still struggling with a lot of things. His lungs are finally showing a little improvement. I can't believe the dr.'s say after 6 weeks his lungs are only slightly better. He hasn't eaten since Sept 12th. He has a feeding tube in his stomach. He has sores on his feet that we watch because he already had a toe amputated about 10 years ago due to diabetes. His new kidney was doing good until this week. Now his urine output is low and his creatine is creeping up. He's is confused and sad. Someone in my family has been staying with him day and night. We did this when he got out of ICU because he was so weak he couldn't have pushed the nurse call button if he needed anything. Now we are still staying because of his confusion and he may try to get out of bed. He has done therapy and walked a little but he is very unstable. He is so thin, I don't see how his legs even hold him up.
Anyway that's were I've been and that's how his recovery is going. Please pass this info on as well as a prayer request for his kidney to continue working, his lungs to clear, his sores to heal and his mental state to improve.
The girls are good and very helpful and understanding since I'm not home much anymore.
Thanks Sandy.
Teresa
Hi Sandy,
I'm sorry to hear about your health scare. Thank goodness they didn't find anything bad. I'm glad to hear that news.
Sorry I haven't been in contact with you. My dad is still at Research Hospital. It has been 6 weeks now. He is still struggling with a lot of things. His lungs are finally showing a little improvement. I can't believe the dr.'s say after 6 weeks his lungs are only slightly better. He hasn't eaten since Sept 12th. He has a feeding tube in his stomach. He has sores on his feet that we watch because he already had a toe amputated about 10 years ago due to diabetes. His new kidney was doing good until this week. Now his urine output is low and his creatine is creeping up. He's is confused and sad. Someone in my family has been staying with him day and night. We did this when he got out of ICU because he was so weak he couldn't have pushed the nurse call button if he needed anything. Now we are still staying because of his confusion and he may try to get out of bed. He has done therapy and walked a little but he is very unstable. He is so thin, I don't see how his legs even hold him up.
Anyway that's were I've been and that's how his recovery is going. Please pass this info on as well as a prayer request for his kidney to continue working, his lungs to clear, his sores to heal and his mental state to improve.
The girls are good and very helpful and understanding since I'm not home much anymore.
Thanks Sandy.
Teresa
I'm sorry to hear about your health scare. Thank goodness they didn't find anything bad. I'm glad to hear that news.
Sorry I haven't been in contact with you. My dad is still at Research Hospital. It has been 6 weeks now. He is still struggling with a lot of things. His lungs are finally showing a little improvement. I can't believe the dr.'s say after 6 weeks his lungs are only slightly better. He hasn't eaten since Sept 12th. He has a feeding tube in his stomach. He has sores on his feet that we watch because he already had a toe amputated about 10 years ago due to diabetes. His new kidney was doing good until this week. Now his urine output is low and his creatine is creeping up. He's is confused and sad. Someone in my family has been staying with him day and night. We did this when he got out of ICU because he was so weak he couldn't have pushed the nurse call button if he needed anything. Now we are still staying because of his confusion and he may try to get out of bed. He has done therapy and walked a little but he is very unstable. He is so thin, I don't see how his legs even hold him up.
Anyway that's were I've been and that's how his recovery is going. Please pass this info on as well as a prayer request for his kidney to continue working, his lungs to clear, his sores to heal and his mental state to improve.
The girls are good and very helpful and understanding since I'm not home much anymore.
Thanks Sandy.
Teresa
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Could you all please pray for me? I have a sonogram at 10 a.m. Monday morning for a lump I found in my breast last week. It is in the same location that I have had one non-malignant lump removed about 10 years ago and I have fibrocystic lumps from time to time, so I'm praying that it is something similar to that. Thanks so much, and I will see you all tomorrow night!
Sandy
Sandy
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
more election stuff to think on...
I keep saying like a coward I want to go to sleep and wake up when the election is over but I keep hearing in my head and heart… ‘pay attention’…some of the stuff I receive I read and some I don’t, so I don’t expect you to read this but I did want to share it…..
http://dontcallmeveronica.blogspot.com/2008/10/deconstructing-christian-cliches-pt-3.html#links
This isn't a political post, but I am going to use political language to comment on something inspired from this week's Presidential debate. It involves a "NO" moment - a personal practice of mine where I say the word "NO" out loud when I hear something that is promoted as truth but actually isn't.Toward the end of the debate, both candidates made affirming statements that declared their belief that America is a supreme force of good for the world, potentially in all of history.
Ah... "no."It's Jesus Christ and His Church.(I wonder if they would have said the same thing in front of Rick Warren's audience.)
What we call patriotism, the early church called idolatry. I know in saying that I run the risk of an ultra-patriotic Christian reading this and getting upset at me. That's fine... because I understand your passion and have heard it before in appropriate and inappropriate ways. For the record, I do enjoy the country I live in and I humbly appreciate the "rights" America has afforded me that I don't see in any other country to the same level.
But America isn't where my ultimate allegiance lies.
If you cut me, I don't bleed America... I bleed for Jesus.
Ultimately, I am a Christ-follower and would be no matter what country I lived in... even the ones where it's illegal to do so. (It would just be trickier, of course... and at times downright fearful - especially if it involved violence to my household.)
Our sense of identity as people (or as a country) must not be found in a flawed President-to-be, nor in his policies on the economy, nor in whether or not he has "great experience" or "fresh perspective." Perfect peace can only be found in Jesus Christ... and yet we cry out for an imperfect President to fix things.
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:4-20)
Somewhere along the way we created in the church a cliche of American Christianity. Here's how it often shows up during election time for many Christians:
*We say, "Jesus is Lord," and yet believe a human candidate will provide all the change the world is looking for.
*Folks pick fights with each other about two candidates who both claim to be Christians, citing to each other that only their party's canididate "really is."
*Christians don't think twice about listening to and laughing alone with radio/TV personalities who slander, spread gossip, and belittle the "other" side.
*Many would say they believe that God wants to redeem the world, but are most concerned about their own country's interests.
*Rather than recognizing how the American Dream is self-centered, we buy into the inward pursuit of happiness over the eternal pursuit of goodness.
Granted, an election is a time to cast a vote about your country's leadership. The problem is that somewhere in the process the concept of "God and Country" becomes "Country and God." The sequence matters, for the first word far outranks the second word.And when that happens, we start looking for security in all the wrong places.How are you doing on this?
Have you been taking your cues from CNN and Fox News more than God Himself?
*Are you fixated on reading the stock market, or are you fixated on reading the Bible?
*Is the roundtable discussion on who won the debate most important at the end of the day, or is the conviction of the Holy Spirit your guiding factor?
Don't worry... I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. Honestly, I'm not telling you whom I'm voting for. (We all know that whomever wins the vote is going to stand at the plate and give his best swing at the job... and he'll fall short, give late night TV shows material for monologues and skits, and let the country down on more than one occasion. The good news is that God can use even that to further things forward..)
Instead, I'd rather inspire you to arrive at a place of peace and security that comes from prayer. Consider your life in light of the Truth of God.... and then respond. If you want to look at how each of the candidates takes part in or rejects God's story of redemption, the best way to start is by taking part in it yourself.
Because you don't discover security by looking for security (or manufacturing it through patriotic words). You find it by a U-turn back toward your Creator - He'll help you become the someone who is freshly overcome by the awe and desperation for Him.
In the first century, Julius Caesar believed that his country was the greatest force for good in the history of the world. He used this belief to justify whatever was in his country's best interests, even if it flew in the face of what true goodness is.
Then along came some Christians who spoke of their hope in Someone greater.
The said it was the peace of Christ - not the peace of Rome - that surpassed all understanding.
They decided that the way of peace was better than the way of the sword.
They fought against patriotic language that declared "Caesar as Lord" by saying "Jesus is Lord."
They died alnong with all those whom Rome sought to conquer when all it would have taken was a simple retraction of one's faith.
Maybe the best summary of all of this lies in a praise someone shared during a gathering last Sunday. "Thank you Jesus for ruining my life and giving me Yours."
http://dontcallmeveronica.blogspot.com/2008/10/deconstructing-christian-cliches-pt-3.html#links
This isn't a political post, but I am going to use political language to comment on something inspired from this week's Presidential debate. It involves a "NO" moment - a personal practice of mine where I say the word "NO" out loud when I hear something that is promoted as truth but actually isn't.Toward the end of the debate, both candidates made affirming statements that declared their belief that America is a supreme force of good for the world, potentially in all of history.
Ah... "no."It's Jesus Christ and His Church.(I wonder if they would have said the same thing in front of Rick Warren's audience.)
What we call patriotism, the early church called idolatry. I know in saying that I run the risk of an ultra-patriotic Christian reading this and getting upset at me. That's fine... because I understand your passion and have heard it before in appropriate and inappropriate ways. For the record, I do enjoy the country I live in and I humbly appreciate the "rights" America has afforded me that I don't see in any other country to the same level.
But America isn't where my ultimate allegiance lies.
If you cut me, I don't bleed America... I bleed for Jesus.
Ultimately, I am a Christ-follower and would be no matter what country I lived in... even the ones where it's illegal to do so. (It would just be trickier, of course... and at times downright fearful - especially if it involved violence to my household.)
Our sense of identity as people (or as a country) must not be found in a flawed President-to-be, nor in his policies on the economy, nor in whether or not he has "great experience" or "fresh perspective." Perfect peace can only be found in Jesus Christ... and yet we cry out for an imperfect President to fix things.
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:4-20)
Somewhere along the way we created in the church a cliche of American Christianity. Here's how it often shows up during election time for many Christians:
*We say, "Jesus is Lord," and yet believe a human candidate will provide all the change the world is looking for.
*Folks pick fights with each other about two candidates who both claim to be Christians, citing to each other that only their party's canididate "really is."
*Christians don't think twice about listening to and laughing alone with radio/TV personalities who slander, spread gossip, and belittle the "other" side.
*Many would say they believe that God wants to redeem the world, but are most concerned about their own country's interests.
*Rather than recognizing how the American Dream is self-centered, we buy into the inward pursuit of happiness over the eternal pursuit of goodness.
Granted, an election is a time to cast a vote about your country's leadership. The problem is that somewhere in the process the concept of "God and Country" becomes "Country and God." The sequence matters, for the first word far outranks the second word.And when that happens, we start looking for security in all the wrong places.How are you doing on this?
Have you been taking your cues from CNN and Fox News more than God Himself?
*Are you fixated on reading the stock market, or are you fixated on reading the Bible?
*Is the roundtable discussion on who won the debate most important at the end of the day, or is the conviction of the Holy Spirit your guiding factor?
Don't worry... I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. Honestly, I'm not telling you whom I'm voting for. (We all know that whomever wins the vote is going to stand at the plate and give his best swing at the job... and he'll fall short, give late night TV shows material for monologues and skits, and let the country down on more than one occasion. The good news is that God can use even that to further things forward..)
Instead, I'd rather inspire you to arrive at a place of peace and security that comes from prayer. Consider your life in light of the Truth of God.... and then respond. If you want to look at how each of the candidates takes part in or rejects God's story of redemption, the best way to start is by taking part in it yourself.
Because you don't discover security by looking for security (or manufacturing it through patriotic words). You find it by a U-turn back toward your Creator - He'll help you become the someone who is freshly overcome by the awe and desperation for Him.
In the first century, Julius Caesar believed that his country was the greatest force for good in the history of the world. He used this belief to justify whatever was in his country's best interests, even if it flew in the face of what true goodness is.
Then along came some Christians who spoke of their hope in Someone greater.
The said it was the peace of Christ - not the peace of Rome - that surpassed all understanding.
They decided that the way of peace was better than the way of the sword.
They fought against patriotic language that declared "Caesar as Lord" by saying "Jesus is Lord."
They died alnong with all those whom Rome sought to conquer when all it would have taken was a simple retraction of one's faith.
Maybe the best summary of all of this lies in a praise someone shared during a gathering last Sunday. "Thank you Jesus for ruining my life and giving me Yours."
Election prayers
I don't remember an election as challenging to Christians as this one.
Though the economic factors will probably get Obama elected, we can not overlook the
hidden agendas of extreme liberals.
1-Same-sex marriage laws and hate crime laws, if favored at the federal (sepreme judge) level (which is the goal- to take from the state's authority), will eventually lead to not being able to preach from the Bible about it's stance on moral issues.
2-We're on our way to loosing all rights to protect the unborn.
3-Did you know our Government took "In God We Trust" off the new $1 coins being made?
These issues seem to go un-noticed because of the economy taking the spotlight, yet if/when all our rights are stripped from us, and our world has fallen completely apart, we all know it will be in part from disregarding God's moral compass & instructions for living.
I propose a PRAYER-FEST before this year's election held at the church. A few-day event In Nov. to lift up this election and pray for this next elected group of officials, our next president and the decisions that will follow. Let's pray that God will infect their hearts with His moral
compass and personal responsibility.
Maybe we can get VanCamp to to get his guitar and marathon it with us?
Anyone interested?
Lou
Though the economic factors will probably get Obama elected, we can not overlook the
hidden agendas of extreme liberals.
1-Same-sex marriage laws and hate crime laws, if favored at the federal (sepreme judge) level (which is the goal- to take from the state's authority), will eventually lead to not being able to preach from the Bible about it's stance on moral issues.
2-We're on our way to loosing all rights to protect the unborn.
3-Did you know our Government took "In God We Trust" off the new $1 coins being made?
These issues seem to go un-noticed because of the economy taking the spotlight, yet if/when all our rights are stripped from us, and our world has fallen completely apart, we all know it will be in part from disregarding God's moral compass & instructions for living.
I propose a PRAYER-FEST before this year's election held at the church. A few-day event In Nov. to lift up this election and pray for this next elected group of officials, our next president and the decisions that will follow. Let's pray that God will infect their hearts with His moral
compass and personal responsibility.
Maybe we can get VanCamp to to get his guitar and marathon it with us?
Anyone interested?
Lou
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I met with a lady today who has just been coming to Shoal creek for a couple of months. She is freshly out of a relationship of close to 4 years and has been totally dependent on this man. She has not worked and her life revolved around him and his needs. He was very controlling, manipulative and emotionally abusive. Now she is on her own and is really lost. She has a relationship with Christ and is seeking him. I ask that we pray for her and that God will show up for her. I pray that she seeks him to be what he wants to be for her and not to just get rid of the pain she is feeling right now. She has a 7 year old son who lives with his dad for the most part. I just pray that see seek him, that she grab him and let go of the money/relationship that she has been clinging to that she knows is not good. I pray that she find herself, the self that she lost to pursue this man.
Wow
I can not believe sometimes how God fixes stuff. Things had been a bit strained around here kinda. Well, not too strained as much as just really busy. Anyway, some things came out in the open through a 3rd party that was never supposed to be told to my foreign exchange student about stuff in the past. OH WELL. Nothing I can do now but I was so sad that she felt deceived by my not telling her myself. I was just following the rules...now its all out in the open and we are closer now (after many tears) than we were before. Not sure if it was necessary but it is what it is.
Luke 21:34-36
34"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
I just wish HE would come quick. Have wonderful things happening 'in' the people I work with. I see their lights come on and nothing is more wonderful than that. I tell you so that you don't forget there are people all around you that need you as an example or a sounding post or a resource. People are hurting out there. They may not say it....but they are hurting.
Thank you God for letting me see with your eyes. Thank you so very much.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Mine and Kim's Grandma Newberry fell today and broke her hip and will be having surgery tomorrow. She is 84ish (not real sure) but she has had a really hard year. Her twin sister died earlier this year and her daughter (my aunt Kay) died two months ago. She is a spunky little gal however she has had a difficult time. I just pray for comfort for her and am glad she does know Jesus.
Monday, October 6, 2008
My sister-in-law has been diagnosed with Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). She has been in a lot a pain and on VERY VERY STRONG pain medicine for the past few weeks. Please pray they get good news from the neurologist tomorrow and they get to the bottom of this. She is only 39. The neurologist did say she has 2 spots on her brain that appear to have been strokes.
Cameron needs prayer. He is suffering from deep depression and is going into a day program tomorrow for a few weeks. He over took his ADHD medicine. Dosage is 2, he took 6. He doesn’t know why. He told Robin and Robin took him to the hospital ER. Since they didn’t feel he was wanting to take his life they sent them home and said he needs a day program to see what’s going on.
My niece turned herself in and will most likely go to prison for consorting with a known felon. She was on probation for drug usage. She is on a $40,000 bond. The ex-husband and kids dad was arrested for something and has a $1000 cash bond and the boyfriend was picked up on a city charge. The kids are with one grandma and my sister (other grandma) takes turns taking care of them which is a lot for her to deal with too. What a mess!
Thanks ladies!
Cameron needs prayer. He is suffering from deep depression and is going into a day program tomorrow for a few weeks. He over took his ADHD medicine. Dosage is 2, he took 6. He doesn’t know why. He told Robin and Robin took him to the hospital ER. Since they didn’t feel he was wanting to take his life they sent them home and said he needs a day program to see what’s going on.
My niece turned herself in and will most likely go to prison for consorting with a known felon. She was on probation for drug usage. She is on a $40,000 bond. The ex-husband and kids dad was arrested for something and has a $1000 cash bond and the boyfriend was picked up on a city charge. The kids are with one grandma and my sister (other grandma) takes turns taking care of them which is a lot for her to deal with too. What a mess!
Thanks ladies!
I talked to Paula tonight. Apparently early this morning at 1:30, she received word that her sister’s son, Matthew, found his dad unresponsive. The attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. In addition to that, Paula has some family friends who have an 8 year old daughter who ran out in between two parked cars and hit a moving car. She has been sent to Children’s Mercy Hospital. In addition to that, it was Matthew’s grandfather who had been driving the car. As background, Matthew and Paula’s sister have been estranged for awhile, so the situation is pretty awkward. There are many prayers needed in all of this. Matthew is apparently staying with Paula right now. Pray for strength for her in dealing with all of the emotions that are inside. Pray for discernment in working with her family. Paula’s sister apparently also expressed a desire to reconcile with Matthew. Pray for healing in her relationship.
Thanks so much you all!
Lynne
Thanks so much you all!
Lynne
Saturday, October 4, 2008
New Prayer Request
New prayer request from Mario Arter:
Mario has been admitted into the Topeka VA Hospital.
Mario has been admitted into the Topeka VA Hospital.
Thursday night Mario attempted to blow his brains out with his 357 Magum pistol.
Several addictions and the stress of every day life has seemed to take him over.
Please pray for us.
I have to LET GO and LET GOD do his work at this point in our lives.
I have done everything I can do. I am lost and I don't know where or who to turn to.
Thank you.
Mashell Arter, wife of Mario Arter.
913-620-2149
Thank you and God Bless.
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