Walking in Faith

Robyn from Kingsville gave me permission to share her story with you:

"This morning I decided that I needed to get back on my walking schedule. So I bundled up and took off. As I got just to the end of my street I noticed a young woman, who appeared to be by herself, unloading a truck, moving into a house. As I passed I waved and immediately starting thinking of spiritual opportunities. And of course, the obvious physical help it seemed she could use right here and now. I thought of how God, who is always faithful to my prayers (prayed with evangelism on my mind this morning) in that area.

"I continued to walk, thinking that I just got started good, and I really need to take care of my health (before I can take care of others, trying to heed my own counseling words to others). Rationalizing, trying to not feel guilty. So, I walked with purpose and determination, feeling good about disciplining myself toward lowering my cholesterol. At the same time I would not forget about what I might do for this young woman: take her homemade banana bread, welcome her to the neighborhood, invite her to worship services... I made my big loop of several blocks, and as I got close to my street I decided that I would double-back. I said, 'OK God, if she is still there and still unloading furniture, I will need your help to not injure my back,' which was already hurting.

"So, I rounded the corner and headed her way. I could not see if she was still there at first, so I kept walking. Then I could see her standing at the front door, just looking at the sofa, half was in the back of the truck and half on the front porch. I thought, 'OK God, maybe it's not too heavy and we can do this.' Just as I was about one house away, my husband drove up beside me. [He had taken the day off to make some repairs]. I told him what I was about to do, so of course he pulled over, and we went up and met our new neighbor. I held the glass door open out of the their way as they moved the sofa inside.

"I had faith that God would help me, and he sent my husband at just the perfect time. Isn't that cool?"

A Prayer for the Overwhelmed

Dear God:

I come to you overwhelmed with obligations.

Take my time today and bless it so that it stretches and seems longer than 24 hours. Please give me the energy to do all the things I think I need to do. And give me the courage to let go of those action items that I don't really need to accomplish.

Forgive me for overcommitting once again. Help me to get my priorities straight and put you at the the top of the to-do list. On a day you have given us to rest, help me to see that recharging is more important than doing.

Lord, help me to get as much satisfaction in being with you as I do in checking off something on the list. Help me to live by your Word more than my list.

Thank you for giving me one more day to live for you.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Better than a Horror-scope

"I pray you will enjoy many unexpected blessings today."

That is how a person signed off an email to me early one morning. Wow! I figured if he was praying that, I would have a great day! And you know what? I did. Every time something pleasant happened the rest of the day, I would ask myself, "Is this the unexpected blessing?"

I don't deserve all those blessings. Just like we don't deserve God's mercy. But thinking that an unexpected blessing may come along made me smile all day long. And knowing that this man I respected took the time to say a prayer for me was the best blessing of all.

In these uncertain times, any excuse for a smile is welcome. We can take pleasure in simple favors. Even scientific researchers say expressing gratitude helps our health and well-being.

So, list what you're thankful for, and enjoy those unexpected blessings, like the prayer of a friend.

Emails

Are you ever tempted to delete emails when you know it's likely to be a chain message or one of those tear-jerkers that have been circulating for years? I am. But when my dad sends one, I open it up because he forwards them infrequently, and when he does, he adds insight.

For instance, this morning, I'd already deleted the message once (a woman from his church has both me and Dad on her mailing list), but I opened his email with the same subject line, and sure enough, the note from him said, "Your mother prays with the faith that the little girl in this story has."

It's nice to hear things like that from and about your parents. But I get a couple of other lessons from it. One, that God sent us emails, OK, really books of the Bible, and they're the same messages that have been circulating for centuries, but we can still get insight from our Heavenly Father. The second lesson is that, maybe when we pray, God doesn't want to hear the rote, same old-same old, but a little personal message from us.

We had an interesting author on our talk show last year who had written about praying in different forms: with your drawing, your singing, your writing. The upshot was prayer didn't have to be spoken. So maybe I will email God. But it won't be a chain message.