Journey of Faith- The Prayer Board

Family.

An old hymn board.

A Journey of Faith.

Wrapped in the hands of our loving God.

Embracing the good times and 

leaning hard in the challenging times.

Silly smiles.

Hugs.

Sweet moments to capture 

in one place to center prayers.

Oh, Lord bless your hand on this 

family and let them learn of your goodness-

in all things. Amen

 

Little Things

 

Some times it is the very little things in life.

Deadheading flowers and as I was going 

to dump them in the trash-

 there was still beauty left.

A tiny brown bottle also rescued from

 the recycle bin was the perfect container.

As I set it on the tablecloth,

 the rays of sunshine burst from behind

 a moving cloud to frame it for just a minute.

I stopped and sat and just looked.

  Soon the light was gone.

But, a photo captured the brief interlude.

Simple joy in tiny things.

Thank you Lord, for little things.

The details that you place daily

 in front of me and I so often miss.

Thank you for the few times I capture them 

and enjoy these small bits of blessing.

Amen.

Spirit Nudges

 

I made a sweet friend in ministry days. 

She came to a Bible Journaling Retreat in November 2015.

She contacted me a few weeks later asking

 if we could set up a time to talk. We began a few calls,

she came to my house for a one day retreat. 

I went up to the church where she served in ministry.

I learned of her battle with cancer

 and was an encourager from afar.

This past November I woke up

 with a very strong "Spirit nudge" 

to pray specifically for her.

 I made her this prayer card and sent it.

I keep a copy of prayers 

to be able to continue the prayer.

Today we were working on some things 

with the Friends of Visual Faith Ministry on our website.

 Jessica and her Bible Girl Podcasts

 have been listed on our website.

As I clicked through on Jessica's site

 I came across her obituary.

I sat stunned and in disbelief.

I hadn't know her last days were so numbered.

I have thought about all the conversations

 I had hoped to have,

 the books we were to talk about yet.

I saw that a favorite author of mine

 had become hers- Ruth Haley Barton.

She had read the books I had suggested.

This sweet friend is dancing in heaven.

A woman of faith who loved Jesus

 and loved others.

  Once again, I am reminded 

that when I feel a

 "Spirit Nudge" for prayer, 

I MUST pay attention. 

Listen carefully....

Come Messy

 Come Messy!

Come overwhelmed with Life.

Come with a wandering mind.

Come depressed.

Come cynical.

 Come too busy to pray.

Now God has something to work with-

when we are out of control.

When we have failed in our attempts

 to hold it all together.

When problems stack up in this noisy world.

and we dart out a plea for help.

But, how are we suppose to hear God's voice?

Learning to pray doesn't offer you a less busy life,

it offers you a less busy heart.

Prayer is about your relationship 

with your heavenly Father, 

and He loves to see change.

Still not sure what that means?

That's ok.

Jesus meets you RIGHT THERE.

Prayer is about being needy and a cry for grace.

Dependency is the heartbeat of prayer.

Doorways into prayer can use all sorts of entry themes:

anxiety, helplessness, relationship, 

repentance, asking, story, and hope.

We don't need more self-discipline
 to pray continuously,

we just need to be poor in spirit.

Poverty of spirit makes room for His Spirit.

Approaching the Father simply as Abba,
 allows us to come child-like,
 to learn to play again.

And so we begin.

To pray in the chaos.

to watch God's drama of our lives unfold.

To trust again.

To give thanks in all things.

Because the praying life is 
interconnected with all of life.

And it is the journey of a lifetime.

I found this introduction 
to a prayer retreat this week. 
From almost 10 years ago.
Still seems pretty relevant today.
Come messy.

I hope YOU know...

Been cleaning out stuff in these days-

 organizing folders,

 shredded old tax papers,

and also just MOVED some piles.

Maybe where I can't SEE the piles.

But, in the bottom of a stash was this post card.

I had to LAUGH out loud-

 well, not at the Bible passage.

But, the beginning-

I Hope you Know....

I was taken back to a household of 3 young girls.

  Probably almost 30 years ago 

and remember hearing many statements

 from the ladies begin with.... 

I HOPE YOU KNOW.

It was usually stated as a sort of alarm-

 with emphasis, and maybe a bit of attitude.

Whatever they said AFTER THAT

 was VERY IMPORTANT.

So I sat and paid attention to this card-

I hope you know there is

SHELTER from this storm.

Shelter under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1

Clasping this card in hand, 

I simply sat and prayed.

For Shelter

For Family

For Protection

For Leaders

For the Sick

For Wisdom

For an unknown Future

with a Known God.

COVID 19 Prayers

It is certainly settling in these days-

long term and wide-sweeping.

We are beginning to understand that 

the future is not ever going to be quite the same.

We don't know exactly what that means just yet-

perhaps we are afraid to picture that now.

In all of this I have faltered in how to respond,

set my days,

and bring encourage to my family and friends.

When it sorts out at the end of the day- 

there is one thing I know.

Under stress-

 people resort to what they know best.

And it is stressful days right now-

 and the only thing that makes sense to me-

 is the tried and true.

My "go-to" rises to the top

 and as I reflect and look back

 at that last few days, I see a pattern.

The patter is prayer.

Day out and week in-

 that is just what makes sense to me.

The above prayer page is one 

that my friend Pat Maier

 created for Visual Faith Ministry.

It is where I am sitting 

and writing and noting

 and resting in these days.

 I share it with you right here:

covid-19-prayer-sheet-by-pat-maier

Print and share.

Share and Share.

There are certainly plenty of us

 in need of places to gather in prayer

 in these very challenging COVID19 days.
Trust, rest, and live in His grace.

Be blessed!

When you don't see the road ahead...

I have shared this prayer a number of times

 over the years and yet somehow - today....

it is so relevant.

I taped a paper copy to an inside cupboard

 in the kitchen perhaps 20 years ago.

I have read it a 1000 times.

Now this lovely version

 from my friend, Diane, rests on a window sill

 in the kitchen by the table 

where I spend a lot of time.

Gazing into the back yard

watching Spring explode,

time in prayer, 

and doing stuff on my computer.

Today as my eye settled on here once again-

 I breathed this prayer-

read every line.

Then shut my eyes and rested.

"I will not fear, 

for you are ever with me,

and you will never leave me

 to face my perils alone."

Amen.

#Bestrong

A prayer for all families

 in transition for the new school year.

 New routines.

 New teachers.

 New students.

 New classrooms.

Old habits.

Old joys

Old blessings.

Old memories.

It really is a mixed pot.

Just don't try to do it all on your own strength.

Got to do some leaning,

 and a whole lot of praying.

"Be strong and of good courage,

be not afraid,

neither be thou dismayed,

for the Lord Thy God is with

thee whithersoever thou goest."

Joshua 1:9

Sometimes it is good to pray 

this the way I learned it growing up.

You Got This- Momma

 This youngest daughter heads

 to the hospital on Thursday to have son #3.

We had a last minute Target run this evening.

 Earlier this week we had talked about 

how the "baby preggo" shots are a bit different

 by the time you get to the third one. 

So to document the end of this third pregnancy

 we hit the back aisles of Target.

 Snapped a few shots of this beautiful little momma.

Wondering how life changes 

forever with this third son.

Yup- some pretty poppies. 

and a prayer for this little family-

Dear Heavenly Father,

we ask your care and tending

 for the health and delivery of this little baby. 

Guard and protect this little momma.

Be with the caregivers, nurses and doctors and 

give them a good measure of expertise.

Take away the anxiety of becoming 

a family of five for this mom and dad. 

Bring grace and  resilience

 to the two older brothers.

Bring the bountiful good to this family,

in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Doors into Prayer - Paper Bag Journal

 Back in September I led a retreat and met Sherry.

She is a friend of my friend, Pat.

So now we are friends.

Sherry is on a cancer journey right now.

Back in December, Pat and I made 

this Prayer Journal for Sherry

 that gathered the offerings from the retreat

 in a way to revisit them.

Right in a paper bag journal.

So I will share the layouts here- 

in a photo heavy post 

so that you can see them all.

I am not sure just how many paper bags

 we have here since we gave the project to Sherry.

 So this may not have all the 

fundamental documentation for precise instructions-

but hope these photos will help you to get the idea.

 We used a hymn page from a "crafting Hymnal".

Recycled Greeting cards are the basic material

 used with the print out from the retreat.

 Brads secure parts of the paper bag 

to make tuck-in spots.

 Scripture verses create

 "landing spots" for prayer.

 Embellished tags work for adding 

verses and prayer thoughts.

Washi tape is fun to use also.

 You can see here there were at least

 2 regular size lunch bags

 and 2 medium and one small.

These are secured in the center 

with ribbon through punched holes.

  

 Always good to have 

an Eugene Peterson prayer quote. 

 A small envelope works to tuck in 

with washi tape for private journaling.

A place for Sherry's own journaling.

Yes, we just don't know what doors 

we will have to walk through in our earthly journey 

and I pray for healing and recovery for Sherry.

But, most importantly- 

we know she walks with the Lord-

 every step of the way.

I wish I had the time to make one 

of these for each and every one of my friends

 on a cancer journey.

Who might you bless with such a treasured booklet?

When Your Soul Needs Respite

 It sneaks up on me. 

The desperate gasping of my soul

 for breath and nourishment.

I often plow right along. 

There is the "to-do" list. 

Places to go. Tasks with a deadline.

Yet, it is exactly in this busiest of seasons 

that I need to STOP 
and just take those few minutes 

to breathe slowly and deeply.

Time to admire the veining 

in the coleus that will soon wilt with frost.

Time to trace the glorious pink 

mandevilla that has climbed the pole on the deck.

To see the contrast behind of blue sky and clouds.

This is tilling soul time.

In Joyce Rupp's book 

May I Have This Dance?  she shares that 

"the human spirit is much like a spring garden. 

If growth is to happen, it too must be made ready.

 The human spirit must be opened up

 if God's goodness is to grow there. 

Open minds and hearts are ready to receive 

the abundant life God constantly offers."

So I take time to open up.....till....

Time to work up the soil with His Word in hand.

Time to offer up those in my heart in prayer.

Time to seek God's will in my life.

Time to look for where He is currently working.

In his book- A Praying Life- 

Connecting with God in a Distracting World,  

Paul E. Miller reminds us-

"It's okay to have a busy life.

It's crazy to have a busy soul."

Take a soul breath.

Doors into Prayer-Camp Arcadia, Michigan- Part One

There are some things that are iconic

 about Camp Arcadia Michigan.

Worship on the edge of Lake Michigan

 and this cross is one of them.

So is crystal clear water and blue

 as far as you can see.

 The tree-lined shoreline

 and the bluffs of distant Frankfort are another. 

 Then there is the Walter League history

 of a nearly 100 year old camp.

History and artifacts galore.

A blessing of the weekend 

was reconnecting with fellow CUAA-

Concordia University - Ann Arbor friends and alumni.

Thanks Debbie and Sharon for making

 this weekend reunion so much fun!

Doors into Prayer was the theme

 for the 2018 Camp Arcadia Women's Retreat-ONE.

Show and Tell for the gathering.

Index Cards and

five minutes in prayer.

Time to slow down, pay attention

 and deal with distractions.

And an honest conversation 

about our prayer life 

with our Heavenly Father.

What wonderful music with Brooke!

Thanks to dear friend and 
Visual Faith Co-Founder- Pat Maier
 for the opportunity to bring Visual Faith practices 
to this wonderful group of Christian women.

Part 2-
more details

When Tragic News Comes

I heard some very sad news today.

A pastor was killed by a 

driver that ran a red light.

He was the caregiver for his 

wife after her brain surgery.

His son is scheduled to give the 

Valedictorian Address 

at his high school this Friday.

His daughter gets married

 in August this year.

His name was Tim Olson.

What are the words 
of comfort for this family?

This Congregation?
First Lutheran- Charlotte, Michigan.

The friends?

Anything I can think 
to say sounds empty...

trite even.

But, I can pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, 

God of all comfort,

be so very close to the 

Olson family at this time.

Reeling from the shock of such news-

unbelief floods the paths of heart and head.

Oh, Lord, there is no way 

we are ever, ever ready 

for such news in our lives.

Please give them peace in these hours,

bolster their strength to 

get through the upcoming days.

Find ways to shower comfort 

over the Olson family.
through the people that love them.

Shine HOPE.

Shine bright HOPE to filter 

into all the dark places 

that has been stripped of JOY.

In the name of Jesus, I pray.

Amen.

"Our hope for you is unshaken, 
for we know that as 
you share in our sufferings, 
you will also share in our comfort."
1 Corinthians 1:7

An Easter Prayer

An Easter Prayer

Lord, send me a surprise.

One that catches me off guard 

and makes me wonder.

Like Easter.

Send me a resurrection

when everything looks dead and buried.

Send me light 

when night seems too long. 

Send me spring

when the cold and frozen season

seems endless.

Send me an idea

when my mind is empty.

Send me a thing to do

when I am just waiting around.

Send me a new friend 

when I am alone.

Send me peace

when I am afraid.

Send me a future

when it looks hopeless

Send me Your resurrection

when I die, Jesus.

Herb Brokering

Bible Marginalia-Time to Pray

Bible Marginalia Series- #275

Psalm 109:3-4

Sometimes verbal abuse 
comes out of the blue.

Unwarranted.

Words of hate.

It can be us or our loved ones.

Attack mode.

David shares the experience here.

Time for prayer.

v. 21- But you, O God, my Lord,

deal on my behalf for your name's sake;

because your steadfast love

 is good, deliver me!

And we rest secure.

Supplies:

Washi tape

Envelope Wrap

Back Sharpie marker

Fine-point non-bleeding Sharpie pen

Uncluttered Spaces

We need "uncluttered time and space 

in which we can distance ourselves 

from our own activities 

enough to see what God is doing."
Eugene Peterson

Keeping the rhythm of 

work and rest within 

God's time is necessary, 

faithful and wise.

I hear the disclaimer over and over 

among our harried lives--

too busy, too much, too little margin.

We need to remember that God will STILL 

work in the margins of our lives.

He prefers first fruits, and lifted offerings.

But, He still delights when His children

 come as beggars 

with little to offer and sit by the wayside.

His powerful presence will take

 our meager offerings 

and turn them into banquets that feed our soul.

How blessed that we have a heavenly Father,

who meets us right where we are-

strung out and strung along.

He takes frazzled, piece-meal connections

and still works Miracles.

And maybe from that point of view-

we can SEE what He is doing.