Father, I'm praying for me and others in my circle of family and friends who are feeling very much alone...
Sometimes they must wonder where You are. I know You're with them because You've promised You will never leave us nor forsake us, that You'll be with us always—but sometimes when they can't sense Your presence, they must feel terribly alone. (Psalm 10:1; Hebrews 13:5b; Matthew 28:20b)
When their hearts fail and their spirits fall, help them determine to live in Your presence—praising You, knowing You inhabit the praise of Your people. May they set their hearts to seek You, to be strong and take heart as they wait for You. (Psalm 27:4; 22:3; Colossians 3:1; Psalm 27:8, 14)
Hide them in the shelter of Your presence and show them Your wonderful love. Help them hope in You, and let Your unfailing love rest upon them. Help them to fix their eyes on You, to take refuge in You, to set You before them, constantly thinking about You, confident that You're with them—then they won't be shaken. (Psalm 31:20a, 21b; 33:22; 141:8a; 16:8)
Help them believe that You won't leave them, that You'll come to them no matter how alone they feel. (John 14:18)
In Jesus' name, amen.
A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?"
"Because I'm a woman," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."
Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"
"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.
Finally he put in a call to God. When God answered, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"
God said, "When I made the woman she had to be special. I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort. I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.
"I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining. I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances,even when her child has hurt her very badly.
"I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart. I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.
"And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."
"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart --the place where love resides.
Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.
An enchanting story about violinist Fritz Kreisler tells how he once
came across a beautiful instrument he wanted to acquire. When he
finally raised the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and
learned that it had already been sold to a collector.
He went to the new owner's home in order to try to persuade him to
sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his prized
possessions and he could not let it go. The disappointed Kreisler
turned to leave, but then asked a favor. "May I play the instrument
once more before it is consigned to silence?"
Permission was granted and the great musician began to play. The
violin sang out a quality of music so beautiful that the collector
himself could only listen in wonderment. "I have no right to keep that
to myself," he said after the musician finished. "The violin is yours,
Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world and let people hear it."
William Arthur Ward said, "If you believe in prayer, pray; if you
believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give. For you
and I are exquisite violins - our music is meant to be heard."
I want to live my life that way - to take it into the world and live
it fully. I'd rather burn out than rust out. I'd rather be used up
than die not having done whatever I could . . . wherever I would.
I'm not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity.
Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in
investing our lives in others. Saying YES when asked for a hand.
Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an
hour with a lonely relative.
In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been
about my ability or my inability. It will have been about my
availability. My life is meant to be lived.
~ Steve Goodier ~
4MaryB Blog (380)
For sure you will have a whole nice day!
