In Real Life

Our two girls were asked to be Flower Girls in my cousin Brittany’s wedding this month.  It was a beautiful outdoor wedding.

Here’s Ella waiting for wedding party pictures with her cousin-in-crime, Justin.  Can’t you FEEL her I-can’t-sit-still-one-more-minute energy??!

And DURING the wedding:

Ever notice how completely different two children from the same family can be?  These pictures illustrate how our 6 year old Maggie somehow managed to keep every strand and bobby pin in place – 4 hours after she was styled. 

Notice in the next two pictures how she doesn’t even move from one minute to the next?…. 

She’s thinking about how beautiful her cousin Brittany looks and dreaming of her OWN wedding – THIRTY years from now…

“Hhmm… maybe I’ll have an outdoor, barefoot wedding with a beautiful organza strapless A-line dress that is form fitted across the waist and falls to the floor….”

Ella is thinking, “I heard there’s going to be cake.”

Cake.

Cake.

Cake.

“When will I get cake?!!!”

We did manage to get SOME decent pictures of Ella though…

She was especially happy when she got her Ring Pop after a job well done.  It’s a good thing, because she fell asleep before the bride and groom were able to cut their cake… 

Don’t worry… she always has MAGGIE’s wedding cake to look forward to…

Ella – Mom, we go to a private school.

Me – Really?…

Ella – Yeah.  Mrs. Kane says ‘Keep your clothes on so no one can see your bottom.’  That means we go to a PRIVATE school.

Over the last three months, our small group has been working through a book called When God’s People Pray by Jim Cymbala.  It is excellent curriculum including DVD clips of Cymbala’s teaching and several powerful Faith Stories which illustrate the principles of each chapter.

“Praying for another person is like touching God with one hand and touching the person with the other.” – Jim Cymbala

Last week’s lesson was about intercessory prayer and gave several examples in Scripture of praying for others.  I realized that I often stop short at asking for God “to help” someone or “be with them.”  Or I may just stop short at asking God to provide for physical needs which I know my friend needs, rather than delving into spiritual needs. 

As I began compiling a list of the biblical examples given in the text, I realized what rich and deep content is here and how praying this way for others could take my prayer life to a deeper level.

Here’s the list I have so far:

· Receive the Holy Spirit – Acts 8:14-15

· Be delivered from unbelievers who oppose Truth – Rom 15:31

· Have acceptable service to God– Rom 15:31

· Receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation – Eph 1:17-19

· Know/ experience Him – Eph 1:17-10

· Know the Hope to which He’s called us – Eph 1:17-19

· Know our inheritance – Eph 1:17-19

· Know His power (same power which raised Christ from the dead) – Eph 1:17-19

· Have strength through His Spirit – Eph 3:16-19

· Be rooted and grounded in love – Eph 3:16-19

· Help us to understand “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that [we] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – Eph 3:16-19

· Have Christ dwell in our hearts through faith – Eph 3:16-19

· Have boldness in evangelism – 2 Thess 1:11

· Be worthy of His calling; effectiveness – Eph 3:16-19

· Practice Effective Evangelism – Philemon 1:6

· Allow those who oppose us to receive forgiveness – Lk 22:32-34

· Keep/ guard us from the Evil One – John 17:15

· Sanctify us in Your Truth/ Word – John 17:17

· Give us unity with other Believers – John 17:20-21

· Deepen our knowledge and experience of God – John 17:3,25-26

· Experience God’s love and that God Himself may be in us – John 17:26

· Keep our faith from failing – Lk 22:31-32

If you’ve been praying for someone you love, don’t give up.  I hope these verses will give you ideas for how you can continue to reach out to God for them!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Ephesians 3:20-21

Our church, Harvest Bible Chapel, does impromptu baptism services a couple of times a year.  At the end of these services, Pastor James invites people who have given their life to Christ to come be baptized.  Baptism is a step of obedience which they can take to publically tell others that they have put their trust in Jesus Christ. 

Two weeks ago, we had one of these services.  It is incredibly beautiful and powerful to hear people tell about how God has changed their lives. 

Here, take a look for yourself…

Harvest Bible Chapel Spontaneous Baptisms, December 2008 from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.

For those of you who enjoy Mt. Dew like me, here’s an idea for next year’s tree.  What a perfect way to “Go Green” at Christmas… literally! 

Check it out here!