GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS ".....Prayer moves the hand that rules the world...."

Today I am so grateful for prayers.

I was introduced to prayer at an early age, because as early as the morning was, I would wake up to the voice of my mother praying and just before bedtime, I would again hear my mother praying.

Even though I was young, I could still recognise the passion, conviction and sincerity with which my mom prayed. She got her results and as she still continues to pray, she continues to reap much blessings in her life, to the point where she has been able to bless the lives of others around her.

The other day a very good friend of mine asked me to join her in prayer for some health issues she is being faced with, and I remember in my encouragement to her, said, that  prayer is one of the tools we have against issues we are subjected to in our lives. She agreed promptly.

As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that God is just a prayer away and stands only too willing to help us though the many and varied difficulties that we face each day. All we need to do is engage him and watch him work.

As prayers are being offered up on behalf of my friend, we wait with confidence, as God works everything out, according to his promises for his children.

Have a grateful day and do, pray for someone today.









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FEELING BLESSED AND GUILTY, ALL AT ONCE.

When my husband and I decided we wanted another child, some company for our son, when it was not happening as fast as we thought it should, I remember saying to God, don’t you think after such an intense, difficult and long struggle with infertility that I deserve more than one child. (I don’t know if I was being too much in God’s face, but this is the kind of relationship that we have both shared given the difficulties I have had to deal with in my life).

Well, he has seen it fit to bless me with another child which I will, by his mercies, welcome in a few weeks and I am not sure if he sees it my way or not, but I am grateful to him and feel eternally blessed.

The thing is though, along with feeling blessed, I have been feeling some amount of guilt. Why am I so blessed when there are others I know who have one child and do yearn for another and there are still some who are wishing for even just one?  

Life does not always go according to the blueprint we create for ourselves, and as someone who have had to deal with this reality, I find that I had to make an effort to identify the things in my life that I could count as blessings, a good marriage, good health and a sound mind. It is my hope therefore, that we all will be able to continue to find those things in our lives that we can count as blessings and in so doing, will be able to foster a thankful heart (this is one of the traits I admire about my mom, because even when her situation was less than favourable, I could always detect from her, an overwhelming sense of thankfulness to God, whenever I was around her).

Be blessed until next time.

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BLESSINGS IS THE REWARD FOR A THANKFUL HEART

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand
Psalm 127: 3 & 4

Americans pause every year at this time to celebrate Thanksgiving, a time of year when families gather over a large feast as they give thanks for all the blessings in their lives.

We do not celebrate thanksgiving in this part of the world, but many of us try to be thankful every day for the blessings in our lives. This year has been rough for many of us, financial problems, joblessness, health issues, you name it, and it is so refreshing when we can pause to say thanks to God for the good things we do have as well.

I know it is a struggle for many of us, especially at this time, to do this because we are so overwhelmed by the bad things that are going on with us. When I was struggling with infertility, many days I felt like this, I was just so sad and hopeless and if anyone asked if I was grateful for anything in my life, I would have had a hard time coming up with any. This is indeed difficult for me to admit, but that is what hopelessness does to people.

While doing my regular ‘blogroll’ reading, I came across a blog by a young lady who stutters (I follow stuttering blogs as well because as many of you know, I also stutters and have plans of starting one of my own). This young lady also has other challenges in her life, especially at this time, yet she chooses not to be bitter about these things, but to give thanks for the good things she has going on in her life. I am not sure if she realizes how many she came up with, but I noticed and want to say that, some of us feel at times that we do not have much to give thanks for because of the many challenges we face, but we would be surprised if we begin to write down the blessings we do have, I am sure it would add up to a lot. Try writing the first few as the gift of life, the gift of love and the gift of freedom, things so many others are struggling to keep in their grasp even as I write, and many of us take for granted.

We should therefore not wait on a special time of year to give thanks, we should begin each day with a thankful heart, because blessings is God’s reward for a thankful heart.

Here is the link to this young lady’s blog, entitled ‘Giving Thanks’ http://stutterrockstar.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/giving-thanks/

Read and be encouraged.