My Prayer Journal

My devotional 8/7/17 How to Handle Rejection by Shana Schutte Excerpt Have you noticed sometimes God will allow us to be exposed to the very thing that frightens us so we will realize we are not victims, but instead can be victors? This is how it was for me with rejection.   Twenty-five years ago possible rejection was the relational difficulty that terrified me, whether with a romantic interest or friend, so I tried to avoid it at all costs by people pleasing—which of course, didn’t work. Much to my horror, God didn’t shield me from rejection like I hoped.  Instead, it seemed like someone was tossing me aside every time I turned a corner.  It wasn’t fun! One day I woke up and realized what I thought would destroy me, hadn’t! The result was what I believe God had in mind:  freedom from the fear of rejection. I have struggled with this my entire life as well. I put up a brave and tough front and I think over the years I have probably bec...

My Devotional 8/8/17 Is God Calling You to Plant a New Field? By Shana Schutte Excerpt Imagine a farmer is growing beans.  The beans are growing well in the same field where the farmer has planted them for the last few years.  One day God calls him to plant a new crop in a new field, but there’s a problem. Growing the beans is already taking all the farmer’s financial and physical resources and he doesn’t feel confident about taking the risk to make a change. If he wants to grow the new crop God has assigned, the farmer will have to resist fear.  But imagine that instead the farmer says, “I can’t plant and grow a new crop because it’s going to be too hard.  I don’t have the money; I’ll have to buy another piece of land.  There’s too much risk involved.” When God says, “Stop what you are doing.  I want you to leave that field and come plant in this one over here,” and we allow fear to dictate our response, we may refuse to leave our “fi...

Mark 12:31 31  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [ a ]  There is no commandment greater than these.” In one way this is easy. My neighbor, Diane is an absolute gift. I am not sure what I would have done without her this past year nor she me.  My other neighbors, however, require much more effort. The perv next door, the new neighbors on the other side of Diane and especially crazy at the end...I just have to love them from a distance. Lord, help me to feel in my heart the way you do about them. But also help me to guard my heart (as well as my sanity) in dealing with them. Help me to hold my tongue and not speak ill of them unjustly just because I don't like them.  And I thank you so much for Diane and pray that you will always bless her. Provide for her needs, emotional and otherwise. Make her healthy that she may enjoy her family and her golden years. Help me to be the blessing to her that she has been to me. In Jesus' name, A...

Psalm 103:17-18 New International Version (NIV) 17  But from everlasting to everlasting      the  Lord ’s love is with those who fear him,      and his righteousness with their children’s children — 18  with those who keep his covenant      and remember  to obey his precepts. Lord, You know I have not done the best job as a mom. I like to believe that most of the time I did the best I could with what I had. I know I made MANY mistakes. I lacked patience. I focused too much on the wrong things. I wasn't the best example. But I did try. I loved them (and still love them) more than anything else. And almost every mistake I made came from wanting to raise them right. My prayer was always that they would have lives that were happy, well-adjusted and that they would know their purpose early and live for You.  I am so thankful that all were saved young and even though they aren't currently in churc...