Praying the Small Stuff

By Carin LeRoy –

I remember as a little girl that my Mom would pray about all the trivial things in life. Like, “Lord, can you help me find a parking spot?” Sure enough, we’d find the perfect place. Or, “Lord, can you help me find my keys?” Growing up, I used to think it strange that my mother would pray about such things, and even thought it was silly. I thought we could figure those things out without bothering God. But as I grew older I realized that God does care about even the smallest concern, and He loves for us to involve Him in our lives.

For my daughter’s wedding a few years ago, I needed to find yards and yards of material to decorate the reception. Being on a tight budget, I decided to look in Wal-Mart at their discounted fabrics. Praying hard, I walked over to the $1.00 per yard table. Sure enough, there were several bolts of a white material and the perfect color for her table centerpieces and runners for the buffet table. I walked out of the store spending less than $50 for everything I’d bought. Her wedding reception was beautifully decorated with all the inexpensive material. I don’t doubt that God helped me find exactly what I needed for the price I could afford.

I believe God loves to orchestrate things for us. Imagine my surprise and delight when I found exactly what I needed. I also believe that God was smiling when He had answered my prayer and made my day. I am reminded of the verse that says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry” (Psalms 34:15 NIV). God hears our prayers no matter what our concern might be. I believe He loves to answer them. It’s another one of the ways that He shows His power and love for us.

Do you think to pray about the little things in your life? Let’s remember to ask God even about the small stuff. God would love to surprise you with an answer!

PRAYER: Father, thank You that You are concerned about small things going on in my life. Keep me mindful that You love to surprise me with answers to my prayers. Help me to include You more in my daily life and concerns.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (I John 5:14,15 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale, mother of three grown children and one high school teenager. She has served as a missionary with PIONEERS since 1982. Her passions are family, playing and teaching piano, missions, and writing stories that show glimpses of God.

A Chronic Fixer

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

As I watched a movie the other day, a quote embedded in my mind. To paraphrase, the character said, “Sometimes things need to stay broken. It’s not up to you to fix everything. Your job is to let it stay broken for now.”

That struck a chord with me because I’m a chronic fixer. If I see something that’s not right, I try to solve the problem and make things okay. If someone has a relationship problem, I become the mediator. If there are conflicts, I take on the role of peacemaker. If someone has a physical need, I am the self-appointed provider to meet that need.

All of that sounds good until I realize that I often jump ahead of God and just fix something without asking God if it is my job to repair it. That movie showed me that sometimes we learn more through the brokenness than we do when things are A-okay.

I heard myself saying the other day, “But I just don’t want to see them suffer.” Another Christian reminded me that the Bible speaks about suffering as if it is something with which the believer becomes greatly acquainted during his life journey. Suffering sometimes delivers a testimony of God’s grace, and sometimes it is a schoolmaster of what is important to God. We learn better through suffering, about the heart of God, than we do when things are hunky-dory. And we communicate more with God when we are in a broken place in our lives. So, it’s okay for some things to stay broken for a while. It’s not my job to fix everything. Only God can mend the wounds of a broken heart.

QUOTE: “In my brokenness ~ In my hour of darkness ~ I will lift my hands ~ And worship You ~ In my brokenness ~ In my time of sadness ~ I will lift my voice ~ And praise to You ~ Time stands still ~ As I kneel down before You ~ Life draws near ~ Like waves upon the shore ~ You touch me ~ In my brokenness ~ In these whispering shadows ~ I will lift the pieces ~ Of my heart to You.” Lyrics by David Meece from song, “Brokeness.”

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18 TLT).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. KCWC gets jazzed shining the light on God’s writers and speakers.

Glory, All Day Long

By Hally Franz –

The antique wagon wheel came with the house. When we moved in eight years ago, it rested against the trunk of the formidable oak tree that is the highlight of our front yard. The rough and ragged wheel has remained there since that time, its center and spokes positioned within the metal frame, but no longer actually attached to it.

Our wagon wheel is an interesting piece, but it’s never really seemed complete as a design or landscaping feature. There are no similar artifacts complimenting it in the yard, so it appears random in its positioning next to the stately oak. It seems without purpose, aside from just hanging out with our tree, and it makes no real statement.

The tree/wheel arrangement was long overdue for a little attention, so after planting my spring flowers, I scattered some stray morning glory seeds at the base of the oak. As is generally the case with my gardening projects, this was experimental, because I didn’t know the attributes of morning glories. I simply hoped for a bit of color around the decrepit and destitute wheel.

Over the next few weeks, I watched stems begin to sprout from the ground. We carefully mowed and trimmed the space hoping these flowers might be just the thing to brighten the area. Soon, I saw the stems turn to vines that stretched skyward and attached themselves to the spokes of the wagon wheel. As weeks turned into months, the morning glories weaved in and out through the wheel’s wooden limbs, eventually seeming to connect the broken center piece to the outside of the wheel that merely rested around it. Red and blue flowers bloomed on the vines, adding color and life to the wheel, now not merely a random object, but a perfect trellis for the climbing morning glories.

While the selection of morning glories was accidental for me, God’s work in a life never is. When seeds of faith are planted in new believers, lives are changed. As we grow in our Christian belief, God weaves strands of His word and His works throughout our being. Lives that once seemed meaningless and without purpose are filled with a mission, desire to serve and message to share. God’s presence in our life brings a connectedness between our inside and outside, our thoughts and deeds. Broken spirits and lonely lives are made new again through Him.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for coming into my life and providing meaning and purpose for my days. Help me Lord to serve You by fulfilling that purpose each day.

“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7 KJV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former teacher and high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. She enjoys volunteering at her children’s school, teaching Bible classes at her church, leading projects in 4-H, writing, reading, scrapbooking, and rousing (though, sometimes, not pretty) Zumba classes.

Survivor Junkie

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

Okay, I admit it. I’m a Survivor junkie! There’s just something about the challenges presented, as well as the rewards—and the raw nature of humanity—that piques my interest. Of course the beautiful scenery of the island also allures me. I’ve learned a lot about what makes people tick by watching this show.

Sadly, the baser sorts of humanity are sometimes represented in this series. We can see how people, left to their own devices, can turn on each other. On this show, competition and strategy are more important to the winning outcome than living by the Golden Rule. And it’s amazing how blind folks can be to their own faults, when viewers at home can plainly see their virtue deficits. Who do they think they are fooling?

In life, do you consider yourself a survivor? A real survivor finds a way to become stronger going through the same trials that might make someone else weaker. On the show, only those who forced themselves to eat, unappetizing as the food choices might be, competed strongly during the challenges. As Christians, we must make sure our power food comes in the form of God’s Word. Sometimes it is sweet like honey, but other times it is bitter like medicine.

Only by allowing God to not just be a part of your life, but be your life can you survive the harshest consequences. God will make sure you are provided for when you completely trust in Him. Technically, trust isn’t trust if it isn’t completely placed. There is no such thing as partial trust!

AUTHOR QUOTE: When it comes time for your tribal counsel experience, it won’t matter who votes you off the island. It won’t matter what you’ve done in the sun, but what you have done with the Son!

“But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him” (1 John 2:5 TLT).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. KCWC gets jazzed shining the light on God’s writers and speakers.

The Power of Thanksgiving

By James H. Pence –

Have you ever been in a flood? Thankfully, I have not. But I have witnessed the destruction they can cause. Hurricane Katrina caused great devastation several years ago, but what nearly destroyed the city of New Orleans was not merely wind. It was a flood. When the levees broke, flood waters swept through the city. Five years later, New Orleans is still recovering from the damage.

A few weeks ago, the city of Dallas experienced a brief, torrential rain. Some parts of the city received nearly a foot of precipitation in only a few minutes. Entire neighborhoods were flooded by the late summer storm. That evening, the local TV news broadcast footage of the flooding. One of the most amazing images was of a Volkswagen Beetle floating away.

Think of it. A small car floated down the street as if it were no heavier than a child’s toy.

That’s power.

And it’s the power of a flood that I think of when I remember Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians. He tells them that they should “overflow” with thankfulness.

Over the years of my Christian life, I have discovered that when I give thanks, there is a power that I don’t fully understand. I can be facing a difficult problem, trial, even a tragedy that threatens to overwhelm me. But when I stop allowing my problems to crush me and begin to praise and thank God—when I “overflow with thankfulness”—God pushes those problems out of the way just as the Dallas flood moved that Volkswagen Beetle.

Don’t get me wrong. The problems don’t automatically go away just because I give thanks; however, my attitude changes. It’s as if God empowers that thankfulness to flood away all the things that are distracting me and pulling me away from Him. There is power in a flood.

Perhaps that’s why Paul also reminds us to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).

PRAYER: Lord, when trials, difficulties, and tragedies weigh me down, help me to overflow with thankfulness, and by that thanksgiving to flood away all that would take me away from You.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by James H. Pence. James is an author, speaker, singer, and gospel chalk artist, but prefers to be known as a storyteller. To learn more about James and how he draws the stories of your heart, visit his Web site at: www.jamespence.com.

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