Blessed Be Your Name

This photo was taken one year ago on April 20. Those of you who know some of the things going on in our family, I would like to ask that you look at each member in the picture and say a prayer of blessing over them. I thank you for holding us up this past year and ask that you continue to do so. We need you. We need Him. Blessed be the God of our healing and salvation!

Blessed be your name in a land that is plentiful where your streams of abundance flow, blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name when I'm found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name when the sun's shining down on me, when the world's "all as it should be", blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name on a road marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed be your name.

Every blessing You pour out I turn back to praise!
When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say,
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your glorious name!

You give and take away, You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say, "Lord, blessed be your name"!

Every blessing You pour out I turn back to praise!
When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say,
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be Your glorious name!

Words by Matt and Beth Redman

Yesterday life once again 'happened' around here and we all went to bed feeling overwhelmed. I pulled my Bible over and read verse after verse, chapter after chapter, and still fell asleep holding up Jake, Zach and Daniel before God asking Him to take control. I awoke and took up where I had left off...but decided I really should take time to worship and tell God how He is in control and sovereign, wise, creator, etc, etc, etc. then...

"MEMA WAKE UP!!!" I am awake little one, I thought. Interceding for you... "MEMA WAKE UP!!!"

Then a quiet voice say "I'm awake".

Suddenly I realized that in my 'worship' I was actually trying to wake God to the fact that I (we) needed Him desperately. Guess He felt like me. Being shouted at to wake up when in fact He had been up a lot earlier than me already working, loving, healing. He said "I'm awake" and I really worshipped, trusting Him to take care of it all!

We serve a MIGHTY God!

I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121

Let us pray

A friend of mine called early this morning to ask me to pray for her and a situation she was in that needed God right in the middle of it. First of all...I am NOT a morning person. And trying to make my mind work with just a half a cup of coffee in me, well, it just doesn't work. At least that is what I would like to tell myself.

She wanted me to pray. It was a reasonable request from a sister I love. But my mind in its morning fog decided to say, 'sure..I will pray for you today..just not right now..I'm sleepy'. What power the Spirit had available at that moment was lost because I didn't stop, listen closely to my sister's heart, and bring that burden before our mediator Jesus right at that moment?!? She could have had a day of lightness knowing that Jesus heard her request instead of hoping I wouldn't forget to pray for her.

My heart is heavy now with the burden I left in her life because I said the proper Christian phrase 'I will pray' instead of the family of God phrase 'Dear Daddy, I love you. Thank you for hearing your children and carrying our burdens.'

Let us pray...together...now...while we still have now to pray.

Super Bowl Party With A Mature Twist

We had the BEST party Sunday with our small group 'watching' the game. Some comments made: "God wants MY team to win!" "Was that MY team that got in trouble?" "What just happened?" "I was for the other team until Terry's sermon this morning." "Why did they give them the ball back? It was THEIR turn!" (I could add more but you get the picture...)

The Tulsa Workshop Promo

Merry Birthday! and Happy Christmas Parties!

This weekend has been wonderful with 3 different parties and loads of fun with family and friends! I thank the Lord for these happy times! Love you all and a wonderful Christmas blessing!!

Kaleb's 8th birthday.


Jacob having a serious talk with Santa.



Singing carols!




My sweetheart!



Their first time at the Adult Christmas Party...



Chad and Brenda just HAD to have one more picture taken of them!

A Prayer

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me...let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings.

-Psalm 61

Love!

Now we know why he gains so much weight!