The Recipe

If you are like me, you might have gotten drawn in by words like, “How to get God to answer your prayers EVERY time”, “How do you get prayers answered in 24 hours?” or “How to get prayers answered 100% of the time”. I have read articles, books, and bible studies on the subject. There have been plans, formulas, and recipes to gain success in our prayer life. And who wouldn’t want some of these things people claim to have? I thought of this the other day when praying for something very important to me and again I considered that maybe I needed to think about another way to pray, perhaps I could do better. Then the proverbial God light bulb went off in my head and I thought, “Since prayer is so important in our lives and is so intimate and personal, why would God keep it a secret until that “one” person wrote a book about it to clue the rest of us in?” Why would my best friend hide something so vital to our relationship from me? Oh, don’t get me wrong. There is always a place for learning and growing in our spiritual life and even in our prayer life but as I sat there in fervent prayer I wasn’t following some formula or recipe. I was a child talking to her Father with my warts and all. We both knew the score! I was totally unworthy to talk to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings but my bible told me that my Father bends down to hear what I have to say to Him. The God I call my friend desires that I lay all my burdens on Him. My Holy Father who lives in heaven wants to meet my daily needs and forgive my sins. He desires to lead me and protect me from the evil one. When Jesus was at the grave of Lazarus, He prayed a simple prayer. He looked up and said, “Thank you for hearing me as you always do”. In this story of Lazarus the shortest verse in the bible is found, John 11:35 says “Jesus wept”! Many times my prayers are just one word! Help! And I picture my Jesus weeping over the sadness of my situation. Does He answer immediately every time? Not always as far as I can see with my finite mind anyway! Does He give me what I want 100% of the time or in 24 hours? No, sometimes it is decades or could be in the blink of an eye! Is there a magic formula or secret recipe? No! He just loves us and hears our dreams and hopes as well as our most profound utterings, prayers that the Holy Spirit can only turn into groans. He loves to hear our voice He sings over us with absolute unfailing love. Extra! Extra! Read all about it! God is faithful! God is trustworthy! So JUST PRAY! Jesus wept. John 11:35 NIV So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. John 11:41 NIV “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’Matthew 6:9‭-‬13 NIV

Grand Entrance

It was a beautiful day for a wedding, I thought to myself as I got ready that morning. I had a new dress and new shoes that I was anxious to wear, I had applied my makeup just so and had prepared my head by placing bobby pins in strategic places for what I was about to put on it. I had recently bought a new wig which was popular back in the 70s. The wig wasn’t unlike my own hair, short, brown but with an ever so slight curl along the hairline. I plopped it on and was ready to go meet my day. The wedding was held in a tiny country church with just a few friends and family in attendance. The ceremony was very short and we were instructed to meet in the church basement for the reception. As everyone else, I headed for the steep stairs that led to a rather musty smelling basement. Taking it slow because of the high heels I wore to match my new dress I made the journey down to the scantily decorated basement with a small cake and a bowl of punch. As I descended I was soon to embark on one of the most embarrassing moments in my life. Even now I blush at the thought. As I ducked slightly to get through the door, there was an unfortunate nail planted at the top of the door jam and you guessed it, I walked right out from under my perfectly coiffed wig! As the cool musty air of that church basement assaulted my bobby pin-clad, wigless head, I looked and saw brown curls hanging from that obnoxious nail. The blood drained, it seemed, from my face and humiliated wouldn’t describe how I felt. Mortified might be closer. There was my “grand entrance” alright. Alas, my new dress, my perfectly applied makeup, or my new shoes did not matter. All eyes were focused on the dangling mop of artificial hair. One “jokester” even commented that someone had been scalped. Since that day I have not made any more grand entrances. No standing at the top of the staircase as onlookers observe my beauty, I have had no Cinderella reveals as I danced with the prince. Dressed in a clown suit for Vacation Bible School came as close to a grand entrance as I have ever known. But did you know that it is written that we will have our grand entrance into heaven the eternal Kingdom? I just read that in the bible today for the first time. In 2 Peter 1:11 we are told that God will give us the grandest of all grand entrance when we arrive. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11 NLT So after our race is run and our journey is finished not only do we have a home that He has prepared but He is also planning for our Grand Entrance. Will there be a marching band of angels or a full orchestra of celestial beings to welcome us? I do know that it will be minus pesky nails since it will be a perfect place.

A Mary Heart

Contemplative! According to the dictionary, it is allowing deep thought, usually devotion to religious thought and prayer. A little lofty I’d say but after taking a little quiz as to what kind of worshiper I am it was decided I am a contemplative worshiper. According to the breakdown of this conclusion, I love God best through adoration. I love to sit and be in His presence while others may feel compelled to serve. I love the scripture that says, “Be still and know that I am God”. So far all true! I like David desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. They give a biblical example of a contemplative in Mary of Bethany who sat at Jesus’ feet while her sister Martha with great irritation, prepared the meal alone. Poor Martha! Oh, how we need Marthas in our world but where do we “Marys” fit in? If Martha were to take the test where would she fall, I wonder. In our house, I am of course Mary, and my poor husband is definitely a male version of Martha all the way to his ever-ready bunny energy. As I raised all my kids I was a hard worker and pretty good housekeeper, but in my older years not so much. I hope you don’t think of me as slothful, I get done what needs to be done but my opinion about what that is these days has changed. In my younger Martha years, I could very proudly pass the white glove test even with a house full of youngins but today as we dismantled our bathroom for redecorating the white glove would be very unwelcomed. I found dirt on top of the medicine cabinet that dates back twenty years, I’m sure. It wasn’t until I retired did my “Mary” come out. I found a place in the back that I went to study, pray, and worship. And worship I did. I prayed, sang and raised my hands in adoration. I called this old wooden chair I sat in, my prayer chair and from this, I started to write a blog with that name. I began to write about my precious Lord and His blessings to me in my “Prayer Chair” blog. As I contemplated all that He has done for me words that I felt came from Him, began to make their way down through my fingers into a story. So where does a “Mary” fit in this Martha world? I wonder sometimes. As I write in my contemplative way I hope to help someone along the way. If only one Mary can feel validated or one Martha feels appreciated I have given to this world from God’s own heart. My prayer as these fingers fly across the keyboard of my computer is I can bring glory to my Lord first and foremost and maybe spread a little joy from my “Mary” heart! Oh, it would be nice if all the dust in my “Mary” house would disappear! The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord ’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. Psalms 27:4 NLT

Unworthy but His

Because of the closeness, I feel toward my God, I sometimes forget who He really is. When I address Him as Father or friend, I can sometimes forget His majesty, His power, and the fact that he spoke the earth into existence. I sometimes unconsciously assign to Him the smallness of mankind. I must not forget that the one I speak to about my most intimate feelings and fears made the stars and named them one by one. He who I pray to, according to the book of Job, told the sea where its boundaries were when He declared, “You may come this far, but no further; here your proud waves must stop”. He asked Job, “Have you entered the storehouse of snow or observed the storehouse of hail or know which direction the lightning is dispersed?” According to chapter 38 in the book of Job, God questions Job, “Who has begotten the drops of dew?” In this beautiful chapter, God lays out for Job who He is and what miracles He has done and inquires as to why should we, mere humans, question the creator. Why should we the “clay” inquire of the Potter about what’s going on? The other day my husband asked me to consider a question he had asked himself. “If you had the privilege of asking Jesus just one question as He stood before you, what would that one question be?” I pondered for a few minutes as many things came to mind like why cancer exists, why wars rage, or why poverty is so brutal? But remembering I could ask only one question, I asked, “Why, Lord, did you choose me?” Me, so unworthy of your majesty? Me, so ordinary? Me, so flawed? It so happened that Larry asked the same thing. Together we ask, “Why us, why was our family so blessed to be and live as a Christian family?” We had to conclude that no one can even measure His greatness or understand His motives. After reading the beautiful words in Job, I turned to Psalm 145:3-7 a psalm of praise of David. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor, and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness. Psalms 145:3‭-‬7 NLT So I am still led to wonder why this great Lord, as the Bible tells us, knows how many hairs are on my head, collects my tears in a bottle, and engraves me on the palms of His precious hands chose me. Even in His greatness, He did choose me. Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up? Job 38:26‭-‬27 NLT First written in my blog: prayerchairsharetime.blogspot.com

Chosen

Chosen Because of the closeness, I feel toward my God, I sometimes forget who He really is. When I address Him as Father or friend, I can sometimes forget His majesty, His power, and the fact that he spoke the earth into existence. I sometimes unconsciously assign to Him the smallness of mankind. I must not forget that the one I speak to about my most intimate feelings and fears made the stars and named them one by one. He who I pray to, according to the book of Job, told the sea where its boundaries were when He declared, “You may come this far, but no further; here your proud waves must stop”. He asked Job, “Have you entered the storehouse of snow or observed the storehouse of hail or know which direction the lightning is dispersed?” According to chapter 38 in the book of Job, God questions Job, “Who has begotten the drops of dew?” In this beautiful chapter, God lays out for Job who He is and what miracles He has done and inquires as to why should we, mere humans, question the creator. Why should we the “clay” inquire of the Potter about what’s going on? The other day my husband asked me to consider a question he had asked himself. “If you had the privilege of asking Jesus just one question as He stood before you, what would that one question be?” I pondered for a few minutes as many things came to mind like why cancer exists, why wars rage, or why poverty is so brutal? But remembering I could ask only one question, I asked, “Why, Lord, did you choose me?” Me, so unworthy of your majesty? Me, so ordinary? Me, so flawed? It so happened that Larry asked the same thing. Together we ask, “Why us, why was our family so blessed to be and live as a Christian family?” We had to conclude that no one can even measure His greatness or understand His motives. After reading the beautiful words in Job, I turned to Psalm 145:3-7 a psalm of praise of David. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor, and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness. Psalms 145:3‭-‬7 NLT So I am still led to wonder why this great Lord, as the Bible tells us, knows how many hairs are on my head, collects my tears in a bottle, and engraves me on the palms of His precious hands chose me. Even in His greatness, He did choose me. Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up? Job 38:26‭-‬27 NLT First written in my blog: prayerchairsharetime.blogspot.com

Chosen Because of the closeness, I feel toward my God, I sometimes forget who He really is. When I address Him as Father or friend, I can sometimes forget His majesty, His power, and the fact that he spoke the earth into existence. I sometimes unconsciously assign to Him the smallness of mankind. I must not forget that the one I speak to about my most intimate feelings and fears made the stars and named them one by one. He who I pray to, according to the book of Job, told the sea where its boundaries were when He declared, “You may come this far, but no further; here your proud waves must stop”. He asked Job, “Have you entered the storehouse of snow or observed the storehouse of hail or know which direction the lightning is dispersed?” According to chapter 38 in the book of Job, God questions Job, “Who has begotten the drops of dew?” In this beautiful chapter, God lays out for Job who He is and what miracles He has done and inquires as to why should we, mere humans, question the creator. Why should we the “clay” inquire of the Potter about what’s going on? The other day my husband asked me to consider a question he had asked himself. “If you had the privilege of asking Jesus just one question as He stood before you, what would that one question be?” I pondered for a few minutes as many things came to mind like why cancer exists, why wars rage, or why poverty is so brutal? But remembering I could ask only one question, I asked, “Why, Lord, did you choose me?” Me, so unworthy of your majesty? Me, so ordinary? Me, so flawed? It so happened that Larry asked the same thing. Together we ask, “Why us, why was our family so blessed to be and live as a Christian family?” We had to conclude that no one can even measure His greatness or understand His motives. After reading the beautiful words in Job, I turned to Psalm 145:3-7 a psalm of praise of David. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor, and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness. Psalms 145:3‭-‬7 NLT So I am still led to wonder why this great Lord, as the Bible tells us, knows how many hairs are on my head, collects my tears in a bottle, and engraves me on the palms of His precious hands chose me. Even in His greatness, He did choose me. Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up? Job 38:26‭-‬27 NLT First written in my blog:

The Journey

 She writes; Today is my first day as an inpatient for a stem cell transplant!! I’m choosing faith over fear! I’m choosing hope! God is so so good to me! His provision is so humbling. Although I am not able to have my same support team surrounding me during this part of treatment, rest assured that my Savior grabbed me by my hand and walked me into this place...He came before me and walks beside me!!

 She writes with victorious assurance;

 “Fear tells us that we are alone, that we have to face our trials and struggles on our own. It reminds us of our weaknesses. It points us to our own failures. But, FAITH points us to God. It reassures us that we are never alone — God is ALWAYS on our side! And faith shows us our weakness is just an opportunity to showcase God’s strength. Praying God’s truth over my fears.

 Missy’s Testimony of Strength and Joy 

Got my transplant today!!! Now we just wait for the baby cells to grow❤️❤️ It has been a hard process to walk through but, all of the hard moments become bearable and then with Christ, all of those bearable moments can even be joy-filled! My heart is grateful and full of hope! I’m trusting in My Fathers promises❤️ Together again!!! Yesterday I got to break out of the hospital and finally hug my people! My heart is so grateful to be done with that part of treatment and back together with my loves❤️❤️ All the glory to God!! Although I was separate from my fam, My Lord was ever-present. I called His name more times in the last month than I can ever count and HE NEVER LET ME DOWN...He stood with me and made me strong ❤️ Thankful to you all for the constant prayer and constant encouragement!!! I felt completely covered and I KNOW I was!!

 I need not say much since Missy said it all in her beautiful words of praise to the Lord. But I rejoiced at the words she messaged me on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. Got my results from the scan. I am cancer free!

 It has been a long journey for my sweet girl, but she has relied on the Lord through it all. Continue to pray for Missy as she goes through the next phase of treatment. There will be more scans, more tests, and more miles to travel on this journey called cancer but today we celebrate just one more giant step toward her wholeness and health. As Missy, we don’t have to go alone. Our God holds our hand and walks beside us.