Prayer Request

I don't usually post prayer requests on my blog but I now have a special place in my heart for twins, and premie twins.  

There are twins in Va.  (I'm holding back their names) who are 5 weeks and have a virus.   Please lift them up in your prayers.  God knows who they are.

Thanks

A Day to Remember

On this day in 2001 Mish and I were sitting in the living room of "Weekend at Burnie's" beach house.  We had traveled to the OBX for my interview for the staff position of youth and children's pastor at NHC.  

I will never forget the images that I saw as we were watching the Good Morning America and the 2nd jet struck the tower.  9/11 is a day I will never forget.  That day thousands of innocent Americans lost their lives due to the act of some religious fanatics who had no regard for life because that is what their religion taught them.  

I pray that we as a nation will never forget that day.  Our churches were flooded with people wanting to pray.  Our nation turned to God during that time.  From looking at what is going on in our country I think we have forgotten or perhaps we are a "nation under God" when we are at our rope's end and in trouble.

Sometimes when I hear the politicians bantering it seems that they and the ACLU have forgotten what happened to America on that day.  When I see on the news people, Americans, defending terrorist my blood starts to boil.  Why would an American do that?  Because they have forgotten the lives lost on 9/11, they have forgotten all the fallen heroes who went into burning buildings to rescue Americans knowing that their lives were at risk, they have forgotten the folks on the flight who battled to save their own lives.  It's a safe bet that they probably didn't know anyone who died that day personally.

So today I will remember, I will pray for those who are still struggling with the loss of their loved ones.  I will gather at lunch time with the fine folks of our local emergency services and pray for them and their safety and thank them for the job that they do.  What will you do today as you remember?

Who Holds Your Hand? (Bump)

I posted this shortly after the birth of Gwyneth, Happy Birthday Baby Rose!  Today is baby G's birthday and it is so awesome to get to see her grow, truly a miracle.  Today Tricia is in ICU, these times are stressing.  I ask that today you cry out to God on behalf of Tricia.  God listens to us!  That is mind boggling to me that the God who created this universe cares enough for me, loves me enough, to listen to my prayers, to your prayers.  

I wonder who holds your hand?  Who has a grasp to you during the trials and tough times that come with life?

King David was God's chosen king.  Even though David was a "man after God's own heart" David had a life full of trials, some were his own fault, most were not.

David wrote this is Psalm 10:17

You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.

When life comes at you really hard and you hit a bumpy spot, a rough time, stop and realize that God hears your cry.  He hears your desire and brings encouragement.

We see this verse in action in the two lives that are touching in the picture above.  A child grasping the hand of her father.  A whole hand not much bigger than the end of your finger, grasping her father's hand.  Because Gwyneth grasped Nate's finger she got to touch her father for the first time.  As you read Nate's blog it is obvious that he was emotionally moved (I was simply by looking at the pictures).

How much more do you think our loving Father in heaven, God, loves for us to grasp onto His hand.  Man's hand, not much bigger than a speck in the universe, holding the almighty hand of the Creator.   We can't do that physically here on earth but we can with our faith and trust hold onto the fact that God is there for us and as Psalm 10:17 says, He listens to us.

40 Days of Prayer

Tonight at midnight our church kicks off 40 days of prayer.  Our church has committed to praying around the clock, 24 hours a day, for the next 40 days.  Someone from NHC will be praying every minute of everyday lifting our church to God in prayer.  I believe we are going to see God move in our church during this 40 day period.  Perhaps God is moving every week but we just aren't aware because we aren't tuned in.  During the next 40 days we will be tuned in.  I'm already pretty much stoked about our worship gatherings next Sunday morning and our Lord's Supper gathering next Sunday night because I believe this prayer will draw us closer as a church to God and closer to one another.

One of our students approached me and asked if she could lead a prayer time with the youth group.  So before Contagious each Sunday night students will get together ten minutes before Contagious begins students will gather together and pray for their youth group.  Sweet!!

Parents can download a prayer sheet and prayer journal to use with their children.  Hopefully some parents will use this as an opportunity to teach their children how to pray.  What will be super cool is that some parents will begin now a habit that will impact and change their families as they begin the habit of praying together daily.  Part of discipling your children and teens is teaching them the importance of prayer and how to pray.

Tomorrow morning at 12:00 am the 40 days launches.  I get my first turn on the prayer calendar at 6:15 am.    I think there are going to be some awesome testimonies spring out of this focused prayer time.  What would happen in your own life if you really spent time daily in prayer?