Tag Archives: prayer

We Enter In

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Holman Bible Dictionary defines “compassion” as “to feel passion with someone, to enter sympathetically into their sorrow and pain.”

Compassion in English translations represents at least five Hebrew and eight Greek terms in the Bible and include additional definitions: possess grace and charm and be gracious, emotional expression of crying and feeling with someone who is hurting, to be sorry for, a mother and father’s love and compassion, emotions aroused by another undeserving or in pain and suffering and other similar definitions.

As we intercede in prayer, or pray to God on other’s behalf… we truly experience this. I have had this happen several times when praying for others as they have suffered loss and pain unimaginable.  One wise prayer warrior once told me that “the Lord allows those of us that pray to help carry the burden of the one under such grief.”  We enter in.

The last several days as this hideous attack has been taking place in Ukraine, we…

… Try to go on with “life” by doing all the normal things.

But then look at the news, scroll on social media, pray, cry…repeat.

…And know that the Ukrainians and those that love them are not going on with “life.” They are in subways, bomb shelters, fleeing their homes and watching what is happening to their homeland and loved ones from afar.

Lord, hear our prayers. In the depths of our souls, we feel pain for their suffering. We enter in. 

We know the Lord is close to them.  I have seen reports from pastors and leaders in the area who say they feel the prayers. 

 We pray it is over soon…our hearts ache and we want to add action to our prayers. I have researched for legitimate ways in which to help the Ukrainian people. I will provide the links for you to explore yourself if that is something you feel led to do.

Samaritan’s Pursehttps://www.samaritanspurse.org/donation-items/responding-to-the-crisis-in-ukraine/

Project Hope https://www.projecthope.org/crisis-in-ukraine-how-to-help/02/2022/

Save the Children https://ukraine.savethechildren.net

International Mission Board  https://www.imb.org/2022/02/28/send-relief-responds-ukraine-crisis/

Save the Children https://ukraine.savethechildren.net

Psalm 34:15-18 “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.  The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;  he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Philippines 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Be Encouraged Today~

Tammy

Send Relief responds to Ukraine crisis

An Ear Cuff and my Big Head

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I have an enormous head. No, not “that” kind of large head…literally, the circumference of my head is so large that if I wear a ball cap, it must have that adjustable part in the back. I am pretty sure it is genetic, but I won’t share which other family members have one too.

But, my ears are relatively small in comparison. Since I am a cool, 61-year-old grandma with a short, sassy haircut that is my natural color and curl, my ears show. And they need adornment in my humble opinion. Haha.

I have a couple of piercings, but instead of a third… I opted for “ear cuffs.” I figure my ears can draw all the attention away from my big head.

All that introduction to tell this story. While running errands today, I came out of a store and took off my mask. I got into my car and flipped down the visor…and low and behold…the left ear cuff was missing. I had lost it somewhere in the store or walking out of it.

I talk to the Father all the time and so I mentioned, “the only way I can find this is if you put that little cuff right in front of me, Lord.” I kept my head down looking as I walked in the store.

I went back to the counter. Nothing.

I retraced my steps. Nothing.

I retraced them again. Nothing.

I headed out the door, figuring that ear cuffs just weren’t meant to be part of my adornment.

I looked down as I went out the very door I had just went in…and there it was. A small ear cuff…waving at me to pick it up.

Many of you are scoffing right now at the fact that my heavenly Father would take the time to help me find this little piece of jewelry. A sheer coincidence, you might be saying. After all, He is dealing with wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, lawlessness, and other things a little more important than my ear cuff.

The best part is that I would not have been upset if I had not found it. I was careless and did not secure it enough on my little ear. A consequence of my own behavior.

But, I learned a long time ago that you cannot put God in a box. Neither can you put Him above it, over it or under that box. You cannot put Him in finite terms, after all…He is infinite. You cannot assume that He is too busy for you and the little things in your life.

He had time for me today. It was a small gesture, allowing my eyes to see the very thing that I had looked for five minutes earlier.

He loves me. He loves you. He is a personal God, and He has time for you today. Even amid your chaos in this fallen world… and even if you don’t find your ear cuff.

Someone needs this today.

More than a List

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I have always prayed. But too often I have taken my “lists of needs and wants” to the Father as if He is the owner of a store in which all my lists can be fulfilled.

But I believe, in my humble opinion, that it is about communication with the Father. The God of the Universe. Of course I believe in prayer…but the way I pray has changed accordingly. I have always talked to Jesus as if He was right with me (which He was) but I had to learn to listen more…to trust Him in all things. 

We are playing a new song at the radio station and the chorus has really touched my heart. It is sang by Natalie Grant and written by Becca and Samuel Mizell.

“Help me want the Healer, more than the healing.
Help me want the Savior more than the saving.
Help me want the Giver more than the giving.
Help me want you Jesus more than anything.”

Oh Lord….hear my cry. Remind me that it is about you Jesus,, your love and not what you can do for me. Enough was done on the cross.

I want the Healer, the Savior, the Giver….Jesus.

 

~Be Encouraged Today~

Tammy