Sunday, February 15, 2009

My verse of prayer for YOU this week...

When Joe and I got married almost four years ago we had both come out of a messy, mired-filled pit, broken but changed (Ps. 40:1-3). At our wedding reception we laid out little 2X3 cards at each place setting which we had purchased from Abbey Press. The poem served as a testament of where we had been and how we could possibly be blessed in where we were going....



HANG IT ON THE CROSS
If you have a secret sorrow,
A burden or a loss,
An aching need for healing...
Hang it on the cross.
If worry steals your sleep,
And makes you turn and toss
If your heart is feeling heavy...
Hang it on the cross
Every obstacle to faith,
Or doubt you come across,
Every prayer unanswered.....
Hang it on the cross
For Christ has borne our brokenness
And dearly paid the cost
To turn our trials to triumph...
Hanging on the cross.
~Lisa O. Engelhardt


This card is now on my bulletin board in my office at the college and I was again drawn to it after reading a comment from a fellow blogger (forgive me I forget where) last week referencing Beth Moore from her Bible study group. She quoted Beth with this statement:


"You can not amputate your history from your destiny...allow it to complete it's purpose".


Both this poem and statement is like a fine piece of chocolate wouldn't you say? I feel someone out there needs to read these words this week. Savor it. Indulge in it's thoughts. Let it carry you into this new week!


This week the verse I am praying for all you blogger friends is from Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)...


1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.


but for more insight, read it in The Message version:


Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!


I pray Lord, for each of my friends in this blog ministry Lord. I pray that she will press on in her testimony of grace. I pray she will be free of any strongholds that are preventing her from the purity of Your presences in her day. I pray my friend (your name) will be focused on You Jesus in this week. I pray most of all she will be You to others, especially those who do not know You personally. I pray that no matter what my sweet blogger friends have endured or are about to endure this week, that you Lord, will be their strength, that you will carry them when they need to be carried, hold them when they need comforted, and walk or run beside them in this race of life! I pray that each friend fulfills Your purpose and plans in this week. Bless my blogger friends Lord. Amen.


Have a sweet week!! Be blessed!!


His Maidservant~Pamela



10 comments:

TeriAnnElizabeth said...

I love you and your heart! You just know where to send us back to when we need it!

After a week with my 25 year old daughter I really felt like if I could ONLY amputate my history or erase and start over she and I would have a different relationship.

BUT, GOD knows what HE alone can bring of something hurtful and ugly.....and I know and trust HE will.

Wow, thinking about the witnesses...sometimes I honestly feel like I can see or hear them..."come on...do the right thing..not the easy thing...come on"

Thank you Sweetheart for encouragement!
Love and blessings,
Teri

Magnolia Memories08 said...

Pamela oh how lucky I am to have come across your blog. You are so right I am the one that needed to read this.I have just added a new blog. I know in my heart I need some nice spiritual friends,I will continue to visit daily for such a blessing. Please visit when you can.
Once again thank you for the beautiful message today.
lol
Vikki

Yolanda said...

Good evening Girlfriend, thank you so much for your faithful prayers for each one of us.

My scripture to put to my heart is from Deut. 31:6 out of the ESV

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Love to you,
Yolanda

much2ponder said...

Hi Pamela...I love this and will remember it. I think I will take that little writing and print a copy for my desk at work and another for my bedside table. Thanks so much.

You have an award over at my blog. No pressure to send it along to others...I just want you to know how much I appreciate you:)

Libby said...

I never know where to respond to a comment you made or answer any questions...so I'll just put it here.
Our daughter is wonderful! We went back for her follow up on Wednesday, and everything sounds great. The doctor did have all the girls get a flu shot because it is going around so much right now, and she is at huge risk for complications.
But here is the bright spot in it all...she agreed that her murmur sounded much more faint more. So amen to that!!!

Jill Beran said...

Great words!! I'm praying for you as well. I love the poem you shared! Blessings on your day, Jill

Amy said...

Thank you, Pamela, for the encouragement and prayers today. My soul is thirsty for all I can get right now. I will be writing that verse down.

You are a blessing.
In Christ,
Amy:)

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful prayer to pray over us this week! Thank you. Last week nearly did me in; I'm hoping for calmer waters this week. Through it all, my Father's sustaining love does just that...sustains me. I'm finally beginning to understand the full depth and breadth of Beth's statement and believing it to be the truth.

While out running earlier this morning, I was having the best time with God and some praise music and thought about just how far I've come in the concept of God's grace in my life. Truly, I know the freedom of Paul and Silas, even though I sometimes find myself chained to my current.

I can live free, despite the dungeon. God has made it so.

Have a great week, Pam. Love to you and yours.

peace~elaine

LynnSC said...

Thank you for that precious prayer of us this week. What a wonderful poem... strong and powerful!

Thanks so much for sharing all of this with me...
Lynn

Carol said...

Pam,

Thank you so much for sharing that poem, and your prayers. There are many things in my history I would love to change, but then I think about how God has grown me and stretched me from those. I'm an unfinished work, and I need to continue to let God finishe His work.

Love
Carol