The circle isn’t completed, yet.  However, I have witnessed huge growth over the past three weeks in an old friend.  As I shared in my comment to him, only God could use the backdrop of our nine year friendship this way; His words.   I have much more to write, but this is a summary of this moment. 

I wanted to write yesterday about the many ways God showed up Saturday for a friend.  Still, the day got away from me because I was so engaged in prayer and life.  

Today, new perspective.  Deeper thoughts, as if He is calling me into a trance like state.  

God, I am so grateful you snagged ***REDACTED*** attention yesterday.  He was so fearful.  I praise you for giving me the right words to spur him toward you.

Three scriptures you gave to me over the past week were all touched upon in your way,

Lord, while he was at Sabbath School and worship, I pondered five or six verses shared. I can feel your mighty hand gently guiding him.  I love you and am excited to praise you with our church this morning.

What an interesting and challenging week. ****REDACTED DETAILS ****   Tough for teenagers or children of any age; equally tough for adults in other ways.  Still, God was faithful, removed obstacles, gave us peace in the process and even joyful laughter.  Only God could have put joy and peace in ALL of our hearts after all that was endured.   The same could be said of conversations with an old friend seeking God and how He put His mighty hand on all of those hours.

This morning, I woke up extra early on very little sleep.  I flipped to 1 Kings and absorbed great lessons about how we teach our children and discipline them.   Study notes on Bathsheba and how God even turned adultery into a son which lead to His son.  I had never thought about Jesus’ Great-Great (x 12) grandmother being an adulteress. Instead, I focused on the lesson of how no matter the circumstances, we are responsible for our behavior.

My heart was overflowing.  I had intermittent thoughts of “how could the Old English call people LORD?” like, good day, My Lord….when it’s an earthly title intended only for ONE.  Still, I re-read the scriptures and the study notes several times to let them wash over me.

I spoke with Danielle F’s mother and arranged a meeting next weekend.  I believe God wants us to meet them as a couple.  I believe the girls are meant to be friends.  ***REDACTED *** I am excited to meet this couple, their daughter and to see Jesus in them. Helping my children connect with others, genuinely connect, is imperative to me.  Flying her CO buddy out here or driving an hour for her to meet someone she connects with online is something I certainly understand.  Some of the best people I’ve ever met in life were from MySpace! Social media can be used for good.  Lord, it’s been a decade since you directed the Make a Difference Day project!  Love the images of all the projects just flashing in my memory.  THANK YOU.

Thank you, Father God, for keeping us safe and drawing us close to you the past two months of chaos.  Thank you for removing the human constraints of time and placing lasting peace in our hearts.  I humbly request you keep your mighty hand on my children as they navigate life.  ***REDACTING THE DETAILS OF THIS PRAYER WHICH REMAINS CONSTANT ****   Jesus, I pray you become such a part of their DNA that they can let go of any anxieties and pain.  Again, I petition you to bring ***REDACTED*** to his knees… open his eyes to you and what he is doing in his life.   Oh, please, Lord, give them all joy and strength, passion and purpose in this life.  I am so grateful you gave my son and daughter to me!  I beg you remind me, as only you can, ***REDACTED *** 

Sweet Jesus, please insert yourself directly in our marriage so that my husband and I can always be on the most fertile ground.  We know the Holy Spirit is at work on our behalf based on Romans 8:26 but feeling is sometimes better.   We both long to be your servants and we need you to be the focus, not the side thought.  Please forgive us for the times we have fallen short.  Thank you for empowering me to sharing your name and Good News with so many the past week!   I ask special prayers for my old friend ***B***.  I know you are at work; I see it and believe you are hearing my specific prayers for him.  Phil 4:6 did not come to me via memory 🙂 I beg for you to pull ***B*** closer to you, help Kim move forward in your Grace and to bless the Kaemmerer family.  Father God, I long to be empowered by your promises and your Grace and to walk before you with all my heart, just as in 1 Kings 8:23.   I ask all of this in the name of sweet Jesus, Amen.  

Other than an occasional verse, I had never read as much from Lamentations as I did this morning.  It hurt my heart to read it.  It hurt to think of God’s disappointment and sadness for His children.  Starving for life and denying the true source.

Lord, forgive me for my first thought of the jackal.   I do not want to judge or feel all that is in my heart toward the father of my children.  To imagine how even jackals feed their young and know how he has starved my children of affection/love/support is heart-wrenching.   Please put your mighty hand on my children, Father God.  Help them know you better at this time of great loss.  Please seep deeper into my husband, too, Father God.  I know ***REDACTED****but you know EVERYTHING.  I beg whatever spiritual warfare is causing his or their separation to be put behind them.

Satan is not welcome in our home, our house and household belong to you and you alone.   I love you, Lord.  Thank you for breaking my heart this morning in a way which shows me more of you.   In Jesus name, I pray.

Being Jesus to those who do not know Him is not always easy; it is always necessary.