Spring is in the air and I'm so glad! This winter, the Oklahoma weather has broken all kinds of records. We've had over 20" of snow and it has been freeeeeeezing ALOT! I'm glad it's warming up. It's nice to take my Bible, coffee and journal out to the front porch and have my "quiet time" with my Lord Jesus while enjoying His creation. Sunday, February 28, was an emotional day at church watching over 30 people being baptized. There was a portable swimming pool set up with a video camera focused on the excitement taking place. And exciting it was! The video was being streamed onto large screens for all to see. I watched families, singles, even one couple "spooned" were baptized at the same time. It was inspiring. I watched and worshiped our God, who is mighty to save, with tears streaming down my face. I couldn't help but think back to 1978 and remember the day I walked down a church aisle, knelt at the altar and prayed for Jesus to save me. I am a living testimony that God is not only MIGHTY TO SAVE, BUT HE IS MIGHTY TO KEEP! I would be so utterly lost without Him. So much has happened since that glorious day I surrendered to Him. WOW! What a privilege to live and love in Christ, to walk in the light of His Word. Truly nothing compares to His abundant life. Not that life is always perfect or that everything always goes the way I want. I do go through valleys, sometimes sorrows and pain, but nothing compares to experiencing the presence of God! I remember when I was first saved, I couldn't wait to attend church. And I thank God that today I feel that same way. I'm looking forward to attending church Sunday. I enjoy my daily time with the Lord. I love His "love letter" to me (the Bible). I love talking to Jesus and hearing His gentle voice speak to my heart. Our attitude toward church, reading His word, talking with others about Jesus, and having a "quiet time" with the Lover of our soul is important. Our children are watching. If you are like me, you want your children to enjoy going to church, reading their Bible, talking to others about Jesus, and spending time with Him. If we're excited about it, then it rubs off on them, it influences them. Now that I have grandchildren I pray my life influences them in a positive way. Something else we can do to impact our children, family, our friends is--pray for them. According to James 5:16b, "The prayer of a righteous person (MOM an DAD) is powerful and effective." This month as you pray scriptures over your children, I encourage you to pray the "31 Powerful Ways to PRAY for Your Children" (see below ARCHIVED LETTERS). If you'd like the brochure, let me know. I will be glad to mail it to you. Have a blessed month in Jesus Name, and see you next month, here, at Precious in HIS Sight.
PS: Recently, I was reading Matthew 6:30-33 from various Bible translations. This translation from The Message touched me deeply and I pray you are blessed too. "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think He'll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way He works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how He works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."
31 Powerful Ways to PRAY for Your Children* 1. Salvation. "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they receive the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Is. 45:8, 2 Tim. 2:10). 2. Grow in Grace. "I pray my children grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18). 3. Love. "Lord, may my children learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit living in them" (Gal. 5:25, Eph. 5:2). 4. Honesty and Integrity. "May integrity and honesty be my children's virtue and their protection" (Ps. 25:21). 5. Self-control. "Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do" (I Thess. 5:6). 6. Love God's Word. "May my children find Your Word more precious than gold and sweeter than honey" (Ps.19:10). 7. Justice. "God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do" (Ps. 11:7, Mic. 6:8). 8. Mercy. "May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful" (Lu. 6:36). 9. Respect (for self, others, authority). "Father, grant that my children show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands" (1 Pet. 2:17). 10. Biblical self-esteem. "Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the truth that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:10). 11. Faithfulness. "Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, may they wear them like a necklace, write love and faithfulness deep within their hearts" (Prov. 3:3). 12. Courage. "May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions" (Dt. 31:6). 13. Purity. "Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Ps. 51:10). 14. Kindness. "Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else" (I Thess. 6:18-19). 15. Generosity. "Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age" (1 Tim. 6:18-19). 16. Peace-loving. "Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace" (Rom. 14:19). 17. Joy. "May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit" (1 Thess. 1:6). 18. Perseverance (not give up). "Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them" (Heb 12:1). 19. Humility. "God, please develop in my children gentleness and true humility toward all people" (Titus 3:2). 20. Compassion. "Lord, please clothe my children with compassion, may they truly care for people" (Col. 3:12). 21. Responsible. "God, help my children be responsible, may they learn what they should do and do it" (Gal 6:5). 22. Contentment. "Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Jesus who gives them strength" (Phil. 4:12-13). 23. Faith. "I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that they live a life of faith, so they please their Father" (Lk. 17:5-6, Heb. 11:1-40). 24. Servant's Heart. "God, please help my children develop servants' hearts, that they serve with their whole heart, as they serve the Lord and not men" (Eph. 6:7). 25. Hope. "May the God of hope grant that my children overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit's power" (Rom. 15:13). 26. Willingness and Ability to Work. "Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard and cheerfully, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Col. 3:23). 27. Passion for God. "Lord, please give my children a soul that follows You close ('follows hard after You'--KJV), a heart that clings passionately to you" (Ps. 63:8). 28. Self-discipline. "Father, I pray my children be disciplined and do what is right and just and fair" (Prov. 1:3). 29. Pray. "Grant, Lord, that my children's lives be consistent in prayer, that they learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Eph 6:18). 30. Thankful. "Help my children live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:20, Col. 2:7). 31. Heart for Missions. "Lord, please help my children develop a desire to see Your glory, Your Name, Your marvelous deeds declared among the nations, (especially the Deaf Nation all over the world" (Ps. 96:3).
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